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Smith,    Laura    (Chase) 

The   life   of   Philander  Chase 


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BISHOP  PHILANDER  CHASE 


Frontispiece 


THE  LIFE  OF 

PHILANDER  CHASE 


FIRST  BISHOP  OF  OHIO  AND  ILLINOIS 
FOUNDER  OF  KENYON  AND  JUBILEE  COLLEGES 


By  his  Grand-daughter 

LAURA  CHASE  SMITH 


NE  CEDE  MALIS 


NEW  YORK 

E.  P.  DUTTON  &  COMPANY 

31  West  Twenty-Third  Street 
1903 


Copyright,  1903 

BY 

E.  P.  BUTTON  &  CO. 


Published,  September,  1903 


XEbe  "Rnicftetbocfter  iprees,  mew  l!?ot6 


TO  MY   CHILDREN 
GRANDCHILDREN  AND  GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN 

I  DEDICATE  THIS  BOOK 

ALSO  TO  THE  MEMORY  OF  THOSE  DEAR  ONES 

WHO  HAVE  LONG  DWELT  IN  THE  PARADISE  OF  GOD 


PREFACE 

IT  is  a  source  of  happiness  to  me  in  writing  this  life 
of  Bishop  Chase  that  now,  fifty  years  after  his 
death,  his  work  for  the  American  Church  is  better 
known  than  ever  before,  his  motives  vindicated,  his 
judgment  approved,  and  that,  in  the  rushing  tide  of 
life  in  the  two  great  dioceses  that  he  founded,  there 
are  some  souls  wise  and  honest  enough  to  acknow- 
ledge the  value  and  supremacy  of  his  pioneer  work  for 
the  Church  in  the  West. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Roberts,  in  an  address  before  the  New 
Hampshire  Historical  Society,  gives  a  clear-cut  sum- 
mary of  my  grandfather's  character:  "Bishop  Philan- 
der Chase  was  a  mighty  man,  a  devout  Christian,  a 
picturesque  character;  original,  self-willed,  of  iron 
determination,  extraordinary  genius,  courage,  and  in- 
dustry. 

"As  soldier  or  statesman,  Philander  Chase  would 
have  achieved  the  kind  of  distinction  which  makes 
the  names  of  men  of  genius  household  words.  As 
missionary,  pioneer,  builder  of  foundations,  his  name 
is  in  a  measure  shadowed  by  the  superstructure,  as 
the  foundations  which  sustain  the  monuments  of  the 
world  are  buried  out  of  sight,  in  the  ground.  But  the 
greatness  of  the  man  and  the  majesty  of  his  character 
remain,  in  spite  of  his  humanness  and,  in  some  meas- 
ure, because  of  it." 

This  work  is  an  attempt  to  put  into  more  permanent 


vi  Preface 

and  accessible  form  than  is  now  existent,  for  the  in- 
formation and  inspiration  of  "those  that  come  after," 
the  story  of  his  labors  and  sacrifices  for  the  Church  of 
his  love,  giving  in  fewer  words  the  facts  of  his  life 
already  made  known  in  his  Reminiscences  (now  long 
out  of  print),  and  adding  many  interesting  facts  hitherto 
unpublished.  It  was  begun  when  circumstances  per- 
mitted abundant  time.  While  the  young  people  of 
my  party  were  exploring  the  churches  and  galleries  of 
a  foreign  city,  I  occupied  a  quiet  little  room  looking 
out  over  the  snow-covered  roofs  under  the  gray  wintry 
sky  of  the  old  Bavarian  city  of  Munich, — a  most  favor- 
able environment  for  the  beginning  of  a  task,  however 
doubtful  its  conclusion  might  be. 

Upon  returning  to  my  own  people,  I  was  encouraged 
by  much  friendly  approval  to  complete  the  story.  The 
manuscript  was  then  submitted  to  the  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop 
Davies,  and  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Lowndes,  of  New  York, 
who  gave  it  their  warm  approbation.  From  these  two 
gentlemen  I  received  most  kindly  encouragement, 
without  which  the  book  would  never  have  seen  the  light. 

To  the  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  Nichols,  of  California,  and 
to  the  Rev.  Dudley  Chase,  of  Philadelphia,  I  render 
sincere  thanks  for  much  valuable  information. 

To  my  son-in-law,  the  Rev.  William  Gardam,  I  am 
under  many  obligations  for  valuable  aid  and  suggestion. 
Nor  would  these  acknowledgments  be  complete  with- 
out adding  that  I  am  greatly  indebted  to  all  my  daugh- 
ters for  loving  help  and  sympathy,  and  especially  to 
one  of  them,  Laura  Grover  Smith,  for  patient,  invalu- 
able aid  throughout  the  period  when  the  work  was  in 
progress. 

L.  C.  S. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  I 

PAGE 

THE    FAMILY    TREE I 

Aquila  Chase,  the  first  Englishman  of  the  name  (Chase)  who 
settled  in  America — Genealogy  from  a.d.  1538  to  1680,  from 
records  in  St.  Mary's  Parish  Church,  Chesham,  England — Arms 
and  crest  of  Chase  family,  with  description  copied  from 
Heraldry — Visitation  of  Buckinghamshire  in  1634 — Story  of 
the  arrest  of  Aquila  Chase,  his  wife,  and  his  wife's  brother  in 
"  Ould  Newbury  "  for  the  crime  of  "  picking  pease  on  Sunday  " 
— Aquila  and  family  in  Newbury,  and  account  of  their  descend- 
ants from  Moses  Chase  down  to  date — Looking  up  the  family 
tree  by  remote  descendants  in  Chesham,  St.  Mary's  Parish 
Church  in  July,  1900 — Description  of  the  ancient  church — 
Visit  to  the  ancient  manor-house — Private  chapel  dates  from 
the  13th  century. 

CHAPTER  II 
SETTLING    IN    NEW    HAMPSHIRE       .  .  .  .  .       lO 

Dudley  Chase  and  Allace  Corbett  of  Mendon  were  married, 
August  23,  1752 — Tribute  to  his  mother's  memory  by  the  son 
of  Allace,  seventy-five  years  later — Settlement  of  New  Hamp- 
shire by  the  brothers  Chase  and  their  father  in  1763-4 — De- 
scription of  country  in  the  vicinity  of  Windsor,  Vt. ,  and  Cornish, 
N.  H.,  as  it  was  at  that  time — Allace  Chase  with  seven  chil- 
dren at  Fort  No.  4 — The  meeting  of  the  family  in  the  woods — 
The  building  of  a  house,  and  her  happy  life  in  her  new  home. 

CHAPTER  III 

PIONEER    LIFE        .  . 1 7 

A  busy  life — Rising  prospects  of  the  family  continued — Settle- 
ments up  the  White  River  and  its  tributaries — Burning  of 
Royalton  on  the  White  River,  and  the  capture  of  half  the  male 


PAGE 


23 


31 


viii  Contents 

population  of  Randolph  by  the  Indians — Life  at  Cornish  as 
the  family  increased  in  numbers — Life  and  work  of  these 
young  people  from  their  youth  up. 

CHAPTER  IV 

THE    FAMILY    OF   DUDLEY    CHASE 

Deacon  Chase's  journey  to  Vermont — His  dream  and  its  fulfil- 
ment— Settling  the  new  land  in  Vermont  by  his  daughters  and 
sons — The  sons  of  Deacon  Chase,  five  of  whom  were  educated 
at  Dartmouth — How  they  were  prepared  for  college — Hon. 
Dudley  Chase,  of  Randolph,  Vt.,  his  life  and  work — Ithmar 
Chase,  the  father  of  Salmon  Portland  Chase — Deacon  Chase's 
daughters  and  some  of  their  descendants. 

CHAPTER  V 

THE    YOUNG    PHILANDER 

Philander,  the  youngest  son  of  Deacon  Chase,  as  a  boy — His 
early  training — An  accident  favored  his  decision  to  go  to  col- 
lege— His  father's  desire — Finding  a  prayer-book;  its  important 
influence  upon  his  life — The  remarkable  change  caused  by  this 
in  the  family  and  in  his  future  career — The  Rev.  J.  C.  Ogden's 
influence  upon  young  Philander — Publishing  of  the  little  square 
book  by  J.  C.  Ogden — Teaching  in  Bethel  and  Cornish — Rev. 
Bethuel  Chittenden — Philander's  first  communion — Lay  read- 
ing in  several  places — Graduation. 

CHAPTER  VI 

STUDYING    FOR    THE    MINISTRY 38 

Philander's  journey  to  Albany — Desire  to  study  for  the  minis- 
try— One  crown  in  his  pocket — Rector  of  St.  Peter's  Church, 
Albany  ;  Dr.  Ellison  :  "  God  bless  you  !  walk  in  !  " — A  crisis — 
An  appointment  as  teacher — Lay  reader  at  Troy — Making 
friends — His  marriage,  before  his  twenty-first  birthday,  to  Miss 
Mary  Fay — Keeping  house  in  the  rear  of  the  Van  Rensselaer 
mansion — Birth  of  first  son — Visit  of  Deacon  Chase  and  his 
wife  to  Daniel  Fay  and  his  wife  in  Bethel  to  see  Philander's 
expected  wife — The  impromptu  dinner— Ordination  to  the 
diaconate  in  St.  George's  Church,  New  York,  on  the  loth  of 
May,  1798. 


Contents  ix 

CHAPTER   VII 

PAGE 

IN  THE  WILDERNESS  ...,,..  44 
Appointment  as  itinerant  missionary  in  the  northern  and 
western  parts  of  New  York — Hardships  of  separation  from 
wife  and  children  ;  long  journeys  in  the  wilderness — Organ- 
izing parishes  ;  visiting  tribes  of  Indians — Organizing  parish 
in  Utica — Immense  work  done  in  early  youth  by  Philander 
Chase  in  Auburn,  Canandaigua,  and  many  other  places,  in 
1798-9. 

CHAPTER  VIII 

WORK    NORTH    AND   SOUTH  .  .  .  .  .  -51 

Father  Nash  and  his  self-denying  life — Touching  reminiscences 
— Mr.  Chase  is  called  to  the  rectorship  of  Poughkeepsie  and 
Fishkill — Ordained  to  the  priesthood  in  St.  Paul's  Church, 
New  York,  by  Bishop  Provoost,  Nov.  10,  1799 — Importance 
of  missions — Mr.  Chase  appointed  to  go  to  New  Orleans  by 
the  Bishop  of  New  York — Mr.  Chase's  arrival  in  New  Orleans 
— Returned  for  his  family — Founded  a  school  and  organized  a 
parish,  the  first  in  the  city — Interesting  incident  at  the  Cabildo, 
1901,  apropos  of  the  first  service  in  New  Orleans. 

CHAPTER  IX 

DIFFICULTIES   AND    DANGERS 61 

The  journey  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chase  to  New  Orleans — Loss  of 
household  goods  by  storm — School  successful — Negro  servant 
ran  away — A  pleasure  trip  ending  in  almost  a  tragedy — A 
disagreeable  interloper  and  a  dangerous  situation — Wading 
through  a  bayou  by  night. 

CHAPTER   X 
FROM    SOUTH    TO    NORTH        ......       73 

A  strange  story — The  school  still  increasing  ;  larger  quarters — 
Most  laborious  part  of  Mr.  Chase's  life;  perhaps  the  most  use- 
ful— Great  work  accomplished  among  the  young  in  New 
Orleans — Last  address  to  pupils  and  his  congregation — The 
journey  north — The  meeting  of  his  sons  at  their  uncle's  in  Ran- 
dolph—  Rev.  Dr.  Tillotson  Bronson,  Cheshire,  Conn. — Rector- 
ship of  Christ  Church,  Hartford,  Conn. — Death  of  Dudley  and 
AUace  Chase  ;  Cornish,  their  burial-place. 


X  Contents 

CHAPTER  XI 

PAGE 

HOME-LIFE   IN    HARTFORD 8l 

Letters  giving  an  idea  of  home  life  in  Hartford — Philander 
Chase  to  his  sons  at  school — George  Chase,  a  boy  of  sixteen,  to 
Intrepid  Morse. 

CHAPTER  XII 

STORIES   AND   STORY-TELLERS 90 

Bishop  Jarvis  as  a  story-teller — Bishop  Seabury — The  story 
of  Mather  Byles  and  Bishop  Seabury,  as  related  by  Dr.  Jarvis 
— The  "right  hand  of  fellowship"  as  desired  by  Mather 
Byles — The  impulse  of  the  pioneer  missionary  must  be  fol- 
lowed— Loyalty  to  the  Church  and  the  prayer-book. 

CHAPTER  XIII 

PIONEER   MISSION    WORK    IN    OHIO  .  ,  .  .98 

Parting  words — Snow  and  sadness — A  long  cold  journey  to 
Buffalo — Adventures  on  the  ice  of  Lake  Erie — A  frightful 
ride — How  Mr.  Chase  managed  an  obstinate  driver — The  story 
of  the  eagles  and  the  ravens  and  the  frozen  fish — When  he 
adopted  the  motto,  "Jehovah  Jireh " — A  breezy  sketch — 
"Getting  on,"  or  riding  by  chance,  means  walking,  thus 
entering  the  diocese  of  the  Pioneer  Bishop  (yet  to  be) — Mis- 
sionary work  began  in  Salem,  Ohio — Method  of  conducting 
early  missions — "  The  stiff-kneed  mare." 

CHAPTER  XIV 

ORGANIZING    PARISHES    AND    FARM  ....     I09 

Welcome  from  Judge  Griswold  at  Windsor — Long  stay  at 
Windsor — Convention  of  Churchmen  agreed  upon — Travel  on 
horseback — Organizing  parishes — Letter  to  Mr.  Chase's  son 
George,  in  which  he  speaks  of  becoming  the  rector  of  St. 
John's,  Worthington ;  Trinity,  Columbus ;  and  St.  Peter's, 
Delaware — Buying  farm  in  Worthington — Meeting  his  wife  and 
little  son  in  Cleveland — Journey  and  adventures  in  going  to 
Worthington. 


Contents  xi 

CHAPTER    XV 

PAGE 

LIFE    AT    WORTHINGTON I20 

Letters  from  Mary  Chase  telling  of  journey  to  Worthington, 
etc. 

CHAPTER  XVI 

LABOR   AND    SORROW 130 

Failing  health  of  Mrs.  Chase — Removal  to  the  new  house  in 
Worthington — Convention  at  Columbus — Day  of  small  things 
— Mrs.  Chase's  interest  in  the  great  work — Mrs.  Chase's  death, 
May  5,  18 18 — A  little  less  than  a  year  of  life  with  her  hus- 
band in  her  new  home — At  the  primary  meeting  of  the  con- 
vention at  Worthington  on  June  3,  18 18 — Mr.  Chase  elected 
Bishop  of  the  Diocese  of  Ohio — His  journey  on  horseback  to 
Philadelphia — Refusal  of  some  bishops  to  the  consecration — 
Demand  on  the  part  of  the  Bishop-elect  for  examination  of 
the  charges  before  the  General  Convention — Satisfactory  re- 
sult of  the  examination  and  triumphant  vindication — His  con- 
secration took  place  in  Philadelphia  by  Bishops  White,  Hobart, 
Kemp,  and  Croes,  in  St.  James's  Church,  Feb.  11,  1819. 

CHAPTER    XVII 

THE   NEW    BISHOP    AT    WORK 1 38 

Return  to  Ohio  on  horseback — Aunt  Lucia  Russell — Interest- 
ing incident — The  Finley  family — First  diocesan  visitation — 
Meeting  of  convention,  i8ig — Division  of  diocese  into  sections 
— The  Bishop's  marriage — Incident  of  Jack  the  negro. 

CHAPTER  XVIII 

TOIL   AND   POVERTY 145 

Retrospect  of  the  year  1820 — Young  Philander's  letter  to 
brother  George — Philander's  college  life  and  appointment  as 
teacher  on  board  the  U.  S.  ship-of-war  Guerriere,  under 
Commodore  McDonough — Little  square  book  turns  up  again 
— Toiling  without  support — A  crisis — A  letter  from  a  friend 
and  its  reply — A  day  of  fasting  and  prayer  for  the  distressed 
diocese. 


xii  Contents 

CHAPTER  XIX 

PAGE 

OPPOSITION    AND    DECISION 151 

Bishop  Hobart's  opposition  to  the  plan  of  educating  young 
men  for  the  ministry  on  western  soil — Bishop  Chase  appointed 
to  the  presidency  of  the  College  of  Cincinnati — Young  Philan- 
der appointed  to  go  to  England  for  funds  to  found  theological 
school  in  Ohio — Philander's  ordination — His  hopeless  illness 
— The  Bishop  decides  to  go — Journey  of  the  Bishop  and  his 
family  to  Kingston,  N.  Y. — Letters  from  over  the  sweet  briars. 

CHAPTER    XX 

TO   ENGLAND    FOR    AID  ......     159 

Opposition  of  family  friends  and  of  friends  and  enemies  outside 
— Philander's  last  visit — Bishop  Chase's  letter  to  Bishop  White 
— Sad  days — Clouds — The  Bishop  sailed  on  the  ship  Orbit  Oct. 
1st — Prosperous  voyage,  except  a  storm  after  sighting  land — 
First  visit  to  Mr.  Timothy  Wiggin,  Manchester — Visit  to  Ox- 
ford, then  to  London — Letters  from  Henry  Clay  to  Lord 
Kenyon  and  Mr.  Alexander  Baring — Notices — Meeting  with 
Lord  Gambler  and  with  Rev.  Josiah  Pratt. 

CHAPTER  XXI 

FRIENDS   AND    FOES        .......     167 

Business  arrangements  in  aid  of  Ohio,  planned  by  Lord  Gam- 
bier  and  Rev.  Josiah  Piatt — Fair  play — Meeting  called  and 
resolutions  adopted  in  aid  of  Ohio — Committee  formed — New 
friends :  Mr.  Marriott,  Rev.  Thomas  Hartwell  Home,  Mr. 
Evans,  Member  of  Parliament,  Dr.  Gaskin,  Miss  Duff  Mc- 
Farlane,  Bishop  Ryder,  Lord  Bexley — The  story  of  "Jim" 
again — Dr.  Dowe  and  Mr.  Joseph  Butterworth — Wonderful 
change. 

CHAPTER    XXII 

ENGLISH    HOMES    AND    FRIENDS 177 

The  story  of  the  old  letter — At  breakfast  with  Miss  Duff 
McFarlane — Lady  Rosse — Young  Philander's  death — Bishop 
Bowen's  letter — The  Bishop  of  Durham — Lady  Rosse's  con- 
tinued benefactions — Visit   to    Brampton    Park — Lady  Olivia 


Contents  xili 


PAGE 


Sparrow — Visit  at  Horksley  and  Nayland — At  church  and 
holy  communion  at  Nayland  with  Lord  Kenyon  and  G.  W. 
Marriott — Visit  to  charity  school  in  London — Interview  with 
the  Archbishops  of  York  and  Canterbury — Another  and  better 
understanding  of  Ohio. 

CHAPTER  XXIII 

FAREWELL    AND    HOME    AGAIN 185 

Bishop  preparing  for  going  home — Dined  with  Lord  Bexley, 
Lord  and  Lady  Teignmouth — Kindness  of  friends — Last  visit 
at  Oxford  ;  met  many  distinguished  people  at  Oriel,  New  Col- 
lege, etc. — Return  to  London — Visit  to  Mr.  Hoare — Visit  to 
Blaine  Castle,  Barleywood,  and  Devonshire — Note  from  Hannah 
More — Cathedral  at  Exeter — Gift  of  printing-press  and  type 
from  Lady  Acland — Letter  from  Lord  Kenyon — Ride  in  a 
post-chaise  ;  strange  accident — Visit  to  Lady  Russell — July 
17th,  sailed  from  London  on  the  ship  Orbit — Forty-three  days 
on  the  ocean — New  York,  Aug.  29th — Church  bells  ringing — 
Another  son — Crossing  the  mountains — The  vine-clad  home  in 
Worthington — Bishop  Nichols  tells  of  Bishop  Chase's  sketches 
on  shipboard. 

CHAPTER  XXIV 
FOUNDING    A    COLLEGE  ......     I97 

The  convention,  1824 — Many  letters  from  English  friends — 
Diocesan  visits — Visit  to  Indian  tribes,  Mohawks  and  Oneidas 
— Purchase  of  site  for  college — School  already  begun  at  Worth- 
ington— Gift  of  organ — Criticisms  and  Jeremiads — The  Bishop, 
Mr.  Douglas,  and  the  Bishop's  little  son  begin  the  work  at 
Kenyon — The  wilderness — First  Episcopal  Palace — A  letter  to 
Mrs.  Chase — Digging  a  well — Getting  on  without  money — 
Sunday-school  in  the  woods — Sunday  services — A  journey  to 
the  General  Convention — Visit  to  the  Oneidas  in  New  York — 
An  Indian  teacher — A  post-office  at  Kenyon — A  plea  for  the 
West — Dr.  Caswell's  account  of  early  days  at  Kenyon. 

CHAPTER    XXV 

AN    EFFORT    AND    A    FAILURE 217 

Effort  of  the  Bishop  to  obtain  grant  of  land  from  the  Gov- 
ernment— Bill  reported  favorably  by  the  Senate — Visit  to  the 


xiv  Contents 

PAGE 

home  of  Mr.  McGuire,  whose  wife  is  a  niece  of  General  Wash- 
ington— Henry  Clay — "  Wine  of  success,"  followed  by  intense 
disappointment — Many  friends — Completion  of  Milnor  profes- 
sorship— Letter  to  Lord  Kenyon  describing  college  buildings — 
An  unpleasant  winter  journey. 

CHAPTER  XXVI 

AN   END    AND    A    BEGINNING  .....    23I 

The  beginning  of  a  great  trial — Sacrifice — Saddest  thoughts — 
Giving  up  all  to  save  the  college — A  lodge  in  the  wilderness — 
"The  Valley  of  Peace" — Farewell — The  new  home — The 
family  reunion  in  the  roofless  cabin — Sad  days — Long  cold 
winter — Divine  service  in  the  cabin — The  settlers  coming  from 
far  and  near  to  learn  of  things  higher  and  better — Comfort  in 
ministering  to  those  poorer  than  themselves — Improvements 
made  when  weather  allowed,  fences  made,  draining  the  ground, 
wood-pile  growing — Flowers  come  with  spring. 

CHAPTER  XXVII 

TO    MICHIGAN    AND    BACK      , 243 

Easter  Day,  1832 — Unexpected  visitor — Journey  to  Michigan 
— Black  Swamp — St.  Joseph's  country,  the  beautiful  lake  and 
fine  land — Divine  service  at  Adam's  Mill,  Michigan,  the  first 
in  St.  Joseph's  country — Buying  land  and  naming  it  Gilead — 
Breaking  up  the  land — Planting  corn — Black  Hawk  War — 
Return  to  the  "  Valley  of  Peace." 

CHAPTER  XXVIII 

BEGINNING    ALL   OVER    AGAIN 248 

The  Swiss  Family  Robinson  expedition — Morning  of  hope, 
midday  toil,  evening  peace — Journey  to  Michigan  with  two 
boys — Beauty  of  the  new  farm — some  discomforts — Domestic 
arrangements — Building  a  house — Telling  stories — Journey  to 
Ohio  for  the  family — Returning  to  Michigan;  unfinished  house 
— Ploughman's  cottage  in  order — Sunday  service,  birds  in  the 
trees  joining. 


Contents  xv 

CHAPTER    XXIX 

FAGB 

A  boy's  life  at  gilead    .         .         .         .         .         .251 

Story  of  work  and  play  at  Gilead  told  by  Rev.  Dudley  Chase. 

CHAPTER  XXX 
MISSION    AND    FARM        .......    256 

Better  times — Wild  animals  fearless — A  mill  site  bought — 
Fall  crops  sown  —  Mission  work  planned  —  Accidents  and 
illness. 

CHAPTER  XXXI 

A    PROTRACTED    MEETING 259 

The  Bishop  and  the  ministers — How  to  pray. 

CHAPTER  XXXII 

A    NEW    DIOCESE    AND    ITS    NEEDS  ....    263 

The  Bishop  elected  to  the  Diocese  of  Illinois — Giving  up  home 
at  Gilead — Mrs.  Chase  equal  to  the  emergency — Long  journey 
to  Illinois  and  return  in  the  Quaker  coach — Without  a  salary; 
no  provision  for  the  future — One  church,  four  presbyters, 
two  deacons,  and  the  Bishop — Did  the  inspiring  motto  fail  ? — 
Going  to  England  again — Eastern  churchmen  dead  to  the 
wants  of  the  great  West — Sailed  for  England  in  the  packet 
ship  St.  James — Meeting  Mr.  Wiggin  in  London — Death  of 
friends :  Mr.  Marriott  and  Lord  Gambier — Dining  at  Lord 
Mayor's — Venison  as  good  as  in  Michigan — Letter  from  Lady 
Rosse — Much  to  cheer — Mrs.  Chase's  short  letter. 

CHAPTER  XXXIII 
TO    ENGLAND    AGAIN     .......    268 

The  Tyndales  of  Holton,  near  Oxford — Dr.  Newman  not  yet 
in  Rome — Story  of  the  three  sons — Address  at  Cambridge — 
Visit  at  Brampton  Park. 

CHAPTER   XXXIV 

BAD    NEWS    AND    GOOD    FRIENDS    .  .  .  .  .    271 

News  of  the  burning  of  the  home  in  Michigan — Many  friends 
to  help  and  comfort — Visit  to  Amersham,  near  Chesham. 


xvi  Contents 

CHAPTER  XXXV 

PAGE 

THE    robin's    nest  .......    275 

The  Bishop  sailed  on  the  packet  ship  Hannibal  from  Ports- 
mouth the  2ist  of  April — Arrived  in  New  York  the  27th  of  May 
— Held  divine  service  on  board  ship  every  Sunday  save  one — 
Visited  Bishop  White,  Philadelphia — Returned  to  Michigan — 
Preparing  for  Illinois — Decision  where  to  build  the  college — 
Robin's  Nest — Long  journeys  in  a  wild  country — Swollen  rivers 
— "  Can  swim  like  a  duck." 

CHAPTER   XXXVI 

TRAVEL    AND    SERVICE  ......    282 

Consecration  of  St.  James's  Church,  Chicago — Bishop's  visita- 
tions— Holding  services  in  barns,  warehouses,  cabins,  black- 
smith shops  ;  baptizing,  confirming,  administering  the 
Communion  —  Holding  service  after  long  days'  travel  at 
"candle-lighting" — The  Bishop's  visits  to  towns  across  the 
Mississippi  —  A  painful  accident — Asked  for  help  and  was 
refused  by  the  man  whose  wife  made  "  the  house  too  hot"  and 
brought  repentance — A  legacy. 

CHAPTER  XXXVII 

THE    NEW    COLLEGE        .  .  .  .  ...  .    287 

Delays  in  purchasing  land — Purchasing  2500  acres  of  land  in 
Peoria  County,  Illinois — Why  shall  I  call  my  college  "  Jubi- 
lee "  ? — Appeal  to  the  whole  Church — Journey  south — Charles- 
ton— Success  at  Charleston — A  gift  from  Mrs.  Marryat  to  her 
cousin  Mrs.  Chase. 

CHAPTER   XXXVIII 
A    JOURNEY    WEST    IN    1840  ......    29I 

The  Bishop's  visit  to  his  friends  in  Vermont — His  journey  home 
with  the  little  Laura. 

CHAPTER  XXXIX 

LETTERS    TO    A    GRANDCHILD  .....    305 

Letters  of  Bishop  Chase  to  his  granddaughter,  1842-1851. 


Contents  xvii 

CHAPTER    XL 


PAGB 


MISSION    WORK    AND    JOURNEYINGS  ....    322 

The  mission  work  of  the  Bishop  and  his  son  Dudley  in  Illinois 
— Characteristic  stories  of  the  Bishop — Dr.  Robert's  appreci- 
ation of  his  character. 

CHAPTER   XLl 

THE    LAST    DAYS  .......    337 

Summing-up  of  the  work  at  Jubilee — Incidents  at  the  Cottage- 
school  for  girls — The  scholarships — Fifty  students  in  1845 — 
Conferring  of  degrees — The  last  days  of  the  Bishop— Entered 
into  rest,  1852. 


THE  FIRST  "  EPISCOPAL  PALACE  "    IN  OHIO.       PAGE  204. 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


BISHOP  PHILANDER  CHASE  .         .         .         FrotiHspiece 

FAMILY  CREST.       "  COATE  "   OF  ARMS  .  .     Title-pagC 

ST.  Mary's  parish  church,  chesham,  England 

THE  squire's  house  IN  CHESHAM,   ENGLAND 
VIEW  OF  MT.   ASCUTNEY  FROM  CORNISH,  N.  H 
CHURCHYARD  AT  CORNISH,   N.  H. 
OLD  CHURCH  IN  CORNISH,   N,  H.   . 
REV.    PHILANDER  CHASE 

HOME  OF  HON.    DUDLEY  CHASE,    RANDOLPH,   VT. 
CHRIST  CHURCH,  HARTFORD,  CONN.      . 
LORD  GAMBIER    ..... 
GEORGE  W.  MARRIOTT 

LORD  KENYON      ..... 
MURAL  TABLET,    WORTHINGTON,    OHIO 
GATEWAY  TO  KENYON  COLLEGE 
ASCENSION  HALL,   KENYON  COLLEGE      . 
PRAYER  CROSS,   AT   KENYON   COLLEGE  . 

xix 


12 

30 

37 
43 
61 

78 
164 
171 
188 
192 
198 
206 
216 


XX 


Illustrations 


OLD  KENYON         .... 
BEXLEY  HALL      .... 
ROSSE  CHAPEL      .... 
CHURCH  OF  THE  HOLY  SPIRIT 
MEMORIAL  TABLET  OF  BISHOP  CHASE 
BISHOP  PHILANDER  CHASE   . 
BISHOP  AND  MRS.   CHASE  IN   1847 
JUBILEE  CHAPEL  AND  COLLEGE     . 
BISHOP  chase's  grave  AND  MONUMENT 


PAGE 
226 

230 

236 

238 

242 

264 

300 

320 

340 


THE  LIFE  OF  PHILANDER  CHASE 


THE  LIFE 

OF 

PHILANDER  CHASE 


CHAPTER  I 

THE   FAMILY   TREE 

AQUILA  CHASE,  the  English  ancestor  of  the 
family  of  that  name  in  America,  who  came  to 
New  England  in  1640,  is  a  character  of  peculiar  interest 
to  his  numerous  descendants.  Many  of  these  have 
been  "makers  of  history"  to  a  certain  extent,  and 
their  family  tree  has  become  of  more  than  ordinary 
interest. 

About  the  year  1861,  there  was  a  stir  among  the 
descendants  of  Aquila  concerning  an  estate  in  England, 
which  was  supposed  to  belong  to  his  heirs  in  America. 
A  Mr.  Somerby  visited  England  and  made  a  thorough 
search  of  all  the  parish  records  which  might  shed  light 
upon  Aquila's  ancestry.  These  investigations  began 
in  1 861.  The  result  of  this  extraordinary  effort 
proved  that  the  mythicale  state  did  not  exist,  but  it 


2  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

brought  to  Hght  some  interesting  facts,  so  far  as  Aquila 
and  his  descendants  were  concerned. 

In  the  Parish  Register  of  Chesham,  Mr.  Somerby 
found  the  Enghsh  record  as  far  as  Aquila  the  second. 
The  first  Aquila  was  born  in  Chesham  and  probably 
moved  to  Cornwall,  where  the  second  Aquila  was  born. 

The  record  is  as  follows : 

1.  Thomas,  the  father  of  the  English  branch  of  the 

family : 

Baptized  in  parish  of  Chesham. 

2.  Richard  of  Chesham : 

Baptized  Aug.  3,  1542. 
Married  Joan  Bishop,  1564. 

3.  Aquila  of  Chesham : 

Baptized  Aug.  14,  1580. 
Married  Sarah . 

4.  Aquila,  afterwards  of  Hampton  and  Newbury,  New 

England : 

Baptized  1618. 

Married  Anne  Wheeler,  daughter  of  John  Wheeler. 

5.  Moses: 

Born  Dec.  24,  1663. 

Married  Anne  Follansbee,  1684. 

6.  Daniel: 

Born  Sept.  20,  1685. 
Married  Sarah  March,  1706. 

7.  Samuel: 

Married  Mary  Dudley. 

8.  Dudley: 

Married  Allace  Corbett,  of  Mendon,  1753. 
Philander  Chase  was  the  fifteenth  and  youngest  child 
of  Dudley  and  Allace  Corbett  Chase. 

This  copy  of  the  genealogy  of  the  Chase  family  from 


The  Family  Tree  3 

1542  until  the  birth  of  Aquila  in  161 8  was  written  for 
the  Heraldic  Magazine  for  October,  1868,  and  most  of 
the  information  concerning  the  investigations  in  Eng- 
land is  copied  from  a  pamphlet  taken  from  that  maga- 
zine and  published  by  Mr.  George  B.  Chase  in  1869; 
also  the  following: 

"In  the  Heraldry,  Visitation  of  Buckinghampshire 
in  A.D.  1634,  engraved  at  the  head  of  the  article  (from 
which  this  is  copied),  is  the  'Coate'  of  the  Chase  family. 
This  'Coate'  is  testified  by  a  letter  from  Mr.  Robert 
Calvert  dated  at  Whitehall,  July  18,  1634,  with  a  pedi- 
gree entered  by  Matthew  Chase." 

From  the  same  source  we  learn  that  Thomas  Chase, 
Aquila's  brother,  was  in  New  England  as  early  as  1636. 
In  1639  he  was,  together  with  his  brother  Aquila  (after- 
wards of  Newbury),  one  of  the  original  settlers  of 
Hampton,  New  Hampshire.  About  the  year  1646 
Aquila  removed  to  Newbury  and  received  several 
grants  of  land  there.  He  made  several  voyages  from 
Newbury  as  master  of  a  ship.  He  made  his  will  on 
the  19th  of  September,  1670,  and  died  on  the  27th  of 
December  following.  He  had  eleven  children.  In 
Ould  Neiubury,  written  by  John  G.  Currier,  we  find 
the  following:  "Aquila  Chase  was  induced  in  1646  to 
remove  from  Hampton  to  Newbury  by  a  vote  of  the 
proprietors  which  reads  as  follows:  'Granted  A.D.  1646 
to  Aquila  Chase,  4  acres  of  land  for  a  house  lott,  where 
it  is  to  be  had,  and  6  acres  of  marsh  where  it  is  to  be 
had  also ;  on  condition  that  he  go  to  sea  and  do  service 
in  the  towne  with  a  boate  for  foure  years.'  " 

"There  is  a  tradition,"  says  Cofifin  in  his  history  of 
Newbury,  "that  Aquila  Chase  was  the  first  person  who 
brought  a  boat  over   the   bar  at   the  mouth  of  the 


4  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

Merrimac  River.      He  was  undoubtedly  a  good  pilot  as 
well  as  an  experienced  fisherman. 

"The  southern  half  of  the  8  acre  lot  on  Water  St., 
between  Greeley  Lane  and  Chanler's  Lane  and  next  to 
Chanler's  Lane  was  originally  granted  to  Aquila  Chase 
in  1646,  the  other  half  was  owned  by  his  brother-in- 
law,  David  Wheeler,  and  there  on  a  certain  memorable 
occasion  was  committed  a  very  gross  offence  which  the 
records  of  the  County  Court  state." 

In  the  month  of  September,  1646,  Aquila  Chase  and 
wife  and  David  Wheeler  of  Hampton  were  "presented 
for  gathering  pease  "  on  the  Sabbath  Day.  For  this 
offence  they  were  to  be  "admonished,"  but  the  fines 
usually  imposed  in  such  cases  were  remitted  by  the 
Court.  Notwithstanding  this  unpleasant  episode, 
Aquila  Chase  and  David  Wheeler  remained  in  New- 
bury for  ten  or  twelve  years.  The  story  of  the 
"crime"  of  Aquila  as  related  by  the  author  of  Oiild 
Ncwhiiry  sounds  a  little  "sarkastical,"  as  Artemas 
Ward  would  say,  but  the  facts  in  the  case  have  been 
handed  down  through  the  generations  from  Aquila  to 
Moses,  Daniel,  Samuel,  Dudley,  and  Philander,  with 
some  additional  circumstances  which  may  serve  in 
these  later  days  to  extenuate  the  harrowing  facts  as 
above  stated. 

Captain  Aquila,  on  that  Sunday  morning,  had  re- 
turned from  a  long  voyage  and  naturally  had  a  longing 
for  "something  green."  It  was  a  late  day  in  summer 
and  the  last  crop  of  peas  was  just  tender  enough  for 
cooking.  Is  it  to  be  wondered  at  that  his  stern  Puri- 
tanism for  once  revolted  against  such  self-denial,  and 
for  once  he  sinned  against  the  "law  and  Gospel"  ac- 
cording to  the  Puritan  faith?     It  is  to  be  hoped  that  in 


The  Family  Tree  5 

the  two  hundred  and  fifty  odd  years  since  Aquila  and 
David  have  slept  in  their  peaceful  graves  this  sad  "fall- 
ing from  grace"  has  been  forgotten. 

It  may  not  be  amiss  to  give  the  Chase  genealogy  in 
the  line  of  Aquila  a  little  more  in  detail,  as  his  is  a 
character  likely  to  interest  even  his  remote  descendants, 
on  account  of  his  ability  to  hold  his  own  against  a 
tyrannous  and  petty  faith;  besides,  we  like  his  name,' 
as  every  American  should. 

He  had  eleven  children ;  no  doubt  there  are  yet  many 
of  his  kindred  on  New  England  soil  who  never  heard  of 
him.  We  trust  none  of  them  has  committed  a  graver 
sin  than  Aquila. 

Moses  was  born  December  24,  1663,  the  eleventh 
child  of  Aquila  and  Anne  Wheeler;  he  was  an  ensign 
in  the  Essex  Regiment.  He  married  Anne,  daughter 
of  Thomas  Follansbee.  They  had  nine  children. 
Daniel,  next  in  succession,  born  September  20,  1685, 
married,  January  2,  1706,  Sarah  March.  They  had 
ten  children.  Samuel,  their  son,  married  Mary  Dud- 
ley. This  couple  had  nine  children,  of  whom  Dudley, 
born  March,  1730,  married  Allace  Corbett,  of  Mendon, 
August  23,  1753.  He  died  April  13,  1814.  Philander 
was  the  fifteenth  child  of  this  couple  and  the  ninth 
generation  from  Thomas  of  Hundritche,  in  the  parish 
of  Chesham,  England. 

To  add  a  bit  of  personal  experience  in  searching  for 
the  records  of  long-time  dead  ancestors,  including  the 
somewhat  elusive  Aquila,  so  far  as  his  birthplace  is 
concerned  :  On  a  hazy  afternoon  in  July  we  went  from 
London  to  Chesham,  a  small  country  town,  twenty 
miles  by  rail,  through  fields  and  groves  in  the  lovely 

'  Latin  for  eagle. 


6  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

land  of  England.  A  carriage  took  us  from  the  station 
to  the  foot  of  the  hill  whereon  stands  the  ancient 
parish  church  of  St,  Mary's,  Chesham.  One  of  our 
party  sought  the  vicarage  hidden  behind  the  trees,  for 
the  iron  gates  of  the  church  grounds  were  closed  and 
locked.  Meantime  a  company  of  round-eyed  boys 
gathered  around  us,  wondering  who  we  might  be.  Ere 
long  the  vicar  appeared  and  welcomed  the  strangers 
with  great  kindness,  showing  us  about  the  beautiful 
grounds  hemmed  in  by  rare  trees  and  flowering  plants 
of  great  beauty,  especially  a  cedar  of  Lebanon  and  a 
well-grown  Sequoia  from  the  Pacific  coast.  Tall  rose 
trees  burdened  with  choicest  blossoms  shaded  the  old 
tombs  where  almost  illegible  inscriptions  defied  our 
curiosity. 

This  ancient  church  dates  back  to  about  the  year 
A.D.  iioo;  a  portion  is  still  preserved  of  the  oldest 
part.  It  was  restored  in  A.D.  1400.  Its  first  architec- 
ture was  Early  Saxon  ;  additions  were  Norman.  Early 
English  windows  and  Norman  arches  still  remain  in 
the  nave.  At  the  side  entrance  is  an  old  tablet  with 
a  crucifix  so  disfigured  that  nothing  remains  but  the 
outline  of  the  cross.  The  pillars  of  the  porch  are  de- 
faced with  initials  of  the  Goths  and  Vandals  of  early 
days  also.  The  church  was  restored  again  in  1869. 
At  that  time  several  old  frescos  were  found,  one  of 
which  has  been  preserved.  By  very  close  inspection 
the  outlines  of  St.  Christopher  and  the  Christ  Child 
can  be  traced;  for  some  unknown  but  probably  sym- 
bolical reason,  the  illusion  of  water  was  realized  by 
painting  the  figure  as  walking  through  a  sea  of  fish. 

In  the  choir  there  are  several  tombs  of  more  or  less 
importance.     On   the  wall  is  a  tablet  erected  to  the 


The  Family  Tree  7 

memory  of ,  a  friend  of  Thomas  Chase,  the  re- 
mote ancestor  of  the  family. 

At  each  side  of  the  chancel  is  a  narrow  slit  in  the 
wall,  called  the  "Leper's  Squint."  Through  these 
persons  afflicted  with  leprosy  (a  mild  form  of  which 
was  quite  common  at  a  very  early  period  in  England) 
were  allowed  to  see  and  hear  the  Mass. 

The  vicar  in  due  time  brought  out  a  venerable  vol- 
ume,— the  Parish  Register.  The  records  were  written 
very  neatly  in  a  clear,  old-fashioned  hand,  but  difficult 
to  read  at  this  time.  Here  are  found  the  records  of  the 
Chase  family  as  given  before. 

The  vicar  also  showed  us  an  old  book  containing  a 
woodcut  of  the  incidents  connected  with  the  plot  to 
arrest  Thomas  Chase  for  opposing  some  popish  custom 
and  a  brief  history  of  that  event,  the  purport  of  which 
was  that  Thomas  Chase  was  finally  burned  at  the  stake 
for  heresy. 

We  were  informed,  much  to  our  surprise,  that  the 
ancient  manor-house  of  the  Chases  was  still  in  exist- 
ence at  a  place  two  miles  from  Chesham,  or  rather  that 
another  house  had  been  built  from  the  material  of  the 
old  one.  The  private  chapel  of  the  manor-house  is 
still  in  existence.  It  was  used  for  many  years  by  the 
Chase  family  before  the  Reformation. 

We  determined  to  go  to  this  place, — Hundritche, — 
and  the  vicar  very  kindly  went  with  us.  The  house  is 
large,  and  at  one  time  the  place  must  have  been  a  fine 
farm.  Many  of  the  outbuildings  are  very  old  and  date 
back  to  the  time  of  the  Chases. 

The  chapel  has  a  Gothic  window  in  one  end  and  a 
small  pointed  window  on  the  side.  The  timber  in  the 
interior    is    black  with    age.     It   is  considered   a  fine 


8  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

example  of  a  private  chapel  of  that  date — about  the 
thirteenth  century. 

Since  this  visit,  the  vicar  has  furnished  a  copy  of  the 
records  of  the  Chase  family  in  the  Parish  Register.  It 
has  been  given  in  outline  before,  but  as  the  names  in 
their  old-fashioned  spelling  and  the  inclusion  of  the 
servants  are  quaint  and  interesting,  it  is  added : 

Chesham  Parish  Register,  Vol.  I.,  Ijj8-i6j6 

Thomas    Chaase   (d.    1586),    Richard    Chaase,    and 
Aquila  Chaase,  are  mentioned  as  follows : 
Thomas  Cha(a)se : 

Son  John  baptized  Dec.  30,  1540. 

Son  Rychard  bapt.  Aug.  23,  1542. 

Dau.  EHzabeth  bapt.  May  23,  1547  (8). 

Dau.  Agnes  Bapt.  Mch.  9,  1551. 

Servant  buried  Aug.  3,  1562. 

Son  Thomas  buried  Aug. 3,  1569. 

Wife  Elizabeth  bur.  Oct.  2,  1569. 

Dau.  Xstian  married  to  Henry  Atkins  June  14, 

1576. 
Servants  married  Nov.  16,  1579. 
Feb.  28,  1581. 

"Old  Father  Thomas  Cha(a)se  of   Hundriche,"  bur. 
June  27,  1586. 

Rychard  Cha(a)se : 

Baptized  Aug.  23,  1542. 

Married  to  Joan  Byshoppe  May  16,  1564. 

Son  Robert  bapt.  Sept.  2,  1565. 

Son  Henry  bapt.  Aug.  10,  1567. 

Dau.  Lidia  bapt.  Oct.  4,  1573. 


The  Family  Tree  9 

Son  Ezechiel  bapt.  April  23,  1576. 
Dau,  Dorcas  bapt.  Mch.  2,  1577. 
Son  Aquila  bapt.  Aug.  14,  1580. 
Son  Jason  bapt.  Jan.  20,  1582. 
Son  Thomas  bapt.  July  18,  1585. 
Dau.  Abigail  bapt.  Jan.  12,  1588. 
Son  Mordechai  bapt.  July  30,  1591. 
Wife  Joan  buried  May  4,  1597. 
Son  Jason  buried  June  4,  1606. 

"Richard  Chase,  senex"  buried  Jan.  32  [sic],  1610. 

Still  later  the  tradition  of  the  birth  of  Aquila,  of 
Newbury,  has,  in  a  way,  been  verified.  In  the  records 
of  the  genealogist,  the  late  Dudley  Chase,  of  Clare- 
mont.  New  Hampshire,  it  appears  that  Aquila,  of 
Hampton  and  Newbury,  was  born  in  Cornwall  in  161 8. 
The  elder  Aquila,  born  in  Chesham  and  baptized 
August  14,  1580,  may  also  have  moved  to  Cornwall, 
as  his  death  is  not  recorded  in  Chesham. 

Of  the  Thomas  Chase,  who  was  burned  at  the  stake 
for  heresy,  the  Vicar  of  Chesham,  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Boutlbee,  writes :  ' '  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  Thomas 
Chase  was  of  your  family,  but  I  hardly  think  he  would 
have  lived  at  Hundritche,  as  he  seems  to  have  belonged 
to  the  neighboring  parish  of  Amersham." 

Of  the  chapel  at  Hundritche  he  says:  "The  chapel 
at  Hundritche  is  pre-reformation,  and  I  fancy  would 
date  about  the  13th  century.  It  was  probably  not 
used  as  a  place  of  worship  after  the  Reformation." 

As  "Old  Father  Thomas  Cha(a)se,"  according  to 
the  Chesham  Parish  Register,  was  buried  at  Chesham, 
it  is  probable  that  another  Thomas  was  the  martyr  of 
Amersham,  two  miles  from  Chesham. 


CHAPTER  II 

SETTLING   IN   NEW   HAMPSHIRE 

DUDLEY  CHASE,  second  son  of  Samuel  Chase, 
of  Newbury,  who  married  Mary  Dudley,  was 
married  to  Allace  Corbett,  of  Mendon,  Massachusetts, 
August  23,  1753.  Nearly  seventy-five  years  after  this 
marriage  Philander  Chase,  the  youngest  son  of  this 
couple,  passed  through  Mendon  and  made  this  record 
in  his  journal:  "This  is  the  place  which  I  recollect 
often  to  have  heard  my  sainted  mother  mention  as  the 
scene  of  her  childhood.  No  one  now  remembers  her, 
yet  I  have  great  reason  to  believe  that  she  was  once  the 
fairest  flower  that  bloomed  on  Mendon  plains.  Many 
[such]  roses,  no  doubt,  have  since  sprung  where  she 
raised  her  modest  head ;  they  also  have  faded,  and 
with  her  have  sunk  to  the  silent  earth.  May  they  have 
grateful  friends  to  record  their  names,  as  I  do  that  of 
my  angel  mother,  Allace  Corbett." 

From  Bishop  Chase's  Reminiscences  we  learn  that 
this  couple  lived  after  their  marriage  in  Sutton  for  ten 
years,  before  entertaining  the  idea  of  going  into  the 
northern  wilds  to  seek  for  a  home  and  lands  broad 
enough  to  support  their  rapidly  growing  family.  Even 
ten  years  seem  too  short  a  time,  since  the  marriage  of 
this  young  couple,  to  allow  for  the  birth  of  seven 
children  "before  going  to  Cornish."     We  will  allow 


Settling  in  New   Hampshire  ii 

twelve  years,  and  that  will  bring  the  date  of  this  fate- 
ful journey  up  to  the  summer  of  1765. 

There  were  then  no  settlements  above  Fort  No.  4 
on  the  Connecticut  River.  It  seems  that  Samuel 
Chase  (Dudley's  father)  and  several  of  his  brothers 
(among  them  Jonathan,  who  afterwards  was  a  General 
in  the  war  of  the  Revolution),  accompanied  him,  or 
perhaps  followed  him  in  his  perilous  journey  through 
the  wilderness,  or  as  far  as  Fort  No.  4, — now  Charles- 
town  in  New  Hampshire. 

These  men,  the  descendants  of  Aquila,  must  have 
had  the  courage  of  the  true  pioneer,  a  courage  and  faith 
in  the  future  of  their  country  which  have  since  been 
fully  justified.  This  beautiful  valley  of  the  Connecti- 
cut was  then  a  vast  forest  of  evergreens,  maples,  beech, 
and  birch.  The  higher  hills  in  Vermont  and  New 
Hampshire,  clad  as  they  are  to-day  in  dark  hemlock 
and  spruce,  were  almost  Alpine  in  gloom  and  mystery, 
especially  when  wintry  winds  and  drifting  snow  clothed 
everything  with  their  wildness,  and  the  fear  of  the 
lurking  and  savage  foe  was  too  real  a  danger  not  to 
dread. 

Into  this  land,  which  had  been  reached  from  Mendon 
or  Newbury  or  Sutton,  came  this  colony  of  Chases. 
We  wonder  how  it  was  done,  especially  by  Mistress 
Allace  with  her  seven  little  children,  all  of  tender  age. 
Probably  the  journey  of  about  a  hundred  and  forty 
miles  was  made  by  means  of  oxen  and  the  two-wheeled 
carts  used  by  the  peasantry  in  Germany  still,  and  which 
were  used  by  Vermont  farmers  in  the  first  half  of  the 
nineteenth  century.  They  might  be  made  comfortable 
for  women  and  children  by  means  of  fur  skins,  of  which 
the  early  settlers  of  Massachusetts  had  good  store  in 


12  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

hand.  It  is  quite  possible  that  for  a  part  of  the  way 
canoes  may  have  been  used,  at  least  above  "the  nar- 
rows" of  the  Connecticut  at  Bellows  Falls.  No  doubt 
these  thrifty  people  had  horses  and  saddles  for  the 
women,  and  a  pillion  for  the  elder  children.  They 
must  have  been  guided  by  the  trees  "blazed"  by  the 
prospectors,  for  these  colonies  had  already  secured  a 
grant  of  a  township  of  land  sixteen  miles  above  Fort 
No.  4,  Charlestown. 

This  occurred  in  summer,  "when  leaves  are  green," 
and  when  the  beautiful  river  Connecticut,  of  which  the 
New  England  poet  said  of  old, 

Nor  drinks  the  sea  a  lovelier  wave  than  thine, 

dimples  and  frisks  as  it  glides  over  the  shining  pebbles 
toward  the  sea,  its  waters  pure  and  sweet  and  cold,  fed 
by  numerous  small  streams,  all  of  them  abounding  in 
the  famous  "spotted  trout"  dear  to  the  sportsman's 
heart.  There  were  doubtless  camp-fires  upon  that 
long  journey,  and  many  anxious  nights  and  days,  with 
gun  close  at  hand,  for  the  father,  as  this  whole  country 
at  that  time  was  infested  by  Indians. 

It  seems  that  Dudley  Chase  and  Allace,  his  wife, 
with  seven  little  children,  reached  Fort  No.  4  at  the 
early  summer-time,  the  mother  remaining  at  the  Fort 
while  the  father  with  his  band  of  workmen  went  up  the 
river  sixteen  miles  to  that  land  of  promise,  "the  town- 
ship of  land,"  just  across  from  what  is  now  Windsor, 
in  Vermont,  and  in  full  sight  of  the  dome  of  Ascutney. 

It  was  no  wonder  that  Mistress  Allace  Chase  "shud- 
dered" as  she  reluctantly  gave  her  consent  to  remain 
behind  at  Fort  No.  4,  while  the  husband  and  father 
went  forward  with  his  men,  prepared  to  cut  down  the 


Settling  in   New  Hampshire  13 

trees  and  build  the  first  home  for  his  family  above  this 
little  outpost,  built  for  defence  against  savages  and 
crowded  with  women  and  children.  In  her  own  words, 
as  quoted  by  her  son  long  afterwards: 

Days  seemed  weeks,  and  weeks  seemed  months,  and 
scarcely  did  a  sun  rise  without  witnessing  my  wander- 
ings on  the  banks  of  the  flowing  stream  where  I  had 
parted  with  your  father  and  his  company  of  Cornish 
workmen.  It  was  in  one  of  these  walks,  with  my  chil- 
dren by  my  side,  I  saw  at  sunset  a  canoe  coming  round 
a  point  of  the  river  bank  toward  me.  I  at  first  thought 
of  the  approach  of  savages,  but  I  soon  recognized  the 
well-known  canoe  of  your  father,  and  in  it  our  trusty 
neighbor,  'Diah  Spalding.  My  heart  leaped  with  joy, 
and  no  sooner  did  the  canoe  reach  the  shore  than  the 
children  were  in  it,  and  on  his  knees ;  nor  did  they  allow 
him  to  stir  till  they  told  him  that  I  was  resolved  that 
we  should  all  return  with  him  to  their  father  in  the 
woods. 

"  'Do  you  know,  dear  Madam,'  said  he,  'that  our 
anxiety  to  put  in  a  crop  and  plant  the  ground,  for  the 
coming  summer,  has  been  such  that  we  have  had  no 
time  to  build  even  the  semblance  of  a  house?  I  am 
come  to  tell  you  that  your  husband  is  well,  and  to 
learn  of  your  safety  and  health,  and  to  carry  back  a 
supply  of  provisions.  We  have  all  slept  upon  the  un- 
covered ground,  and  as  yet  have  no  shelter  for  our- 
selves,— much  less  for  you  and  your  little  ones, — will 
you  venture  with  them  into  the  woods  before  you  are 
sure  of  a  refuge? ' 

"To  this  I  replied:  'I  will  go,  and  with  all  my  chil- 
dren endure  any  storm  if  you  will  give  me  but  a  safe 
and  steady  conveyance  to  my  husband.     If  there  be 


14  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

no  shelter,  nor  fence  nor  fort,  his  faithful  arm  will 
guard  me,  and  his  trusty  men  will  aid  him,  and  their 
God  who  is  above  all  will  provide.' 

A  much  smaller  degree  of  sagacity  than  'Diah  Spald- 
ing possessed  would  have  convinced  him  that  Mistress 
Allace  was  mistress  of  the  situation. 

This  question  decided,  all  the  resources  of  his  mind 
were  called  into  action  to  make  things  ready  for  the 
flitting.  "Such  goods  as  we  needed  least  were  secured 
in  the  fort,  and  such  as  the  boat  would  carry  and  we 
needed  most,  with  ample  provisions,  were  put  on 
board,  and  the  morning  sun  was  scarcely  risen,  ere  by 
Spalding's  help  and  with  that  of  the  oldest  boys,  all 
things  were  ready  for  the  voyage. 

"Spalding  was  a  good  canoe  man,  and  with  the  boys 
to  'lend  a  hand'  we  made  good  progress,  slow  but  un- 
ceasing. It  was  in  time  of  Indian  warfare,  in  a  frail 
Indian  canoe,  and  going  up  a  rapid  stream,  yet  we 
reached  the  little  opening  among  the  towering  trees 
before  nightfall. 

"  'There  they  are,'  cried  the  children,  'there  are 
father  and  his  men;  I  hear  his  voice  and  the  sound  of 
their  axes. ' 

"For  a  moment  all  was  hidden  from  our  view  by  the 
tall  forest  trees;  this  gave  me  time  to  utter  what  was 
laboring  in  my  heart, — a  prayer  of  faith  and  benedic- 
tion :  '  May  the  God  of  our  Fathers  bless  your  father, 
and  me  your  helpless  mother,  and  you  my  dear  children 
now,  even  now,  as  we  shall  take  possession  of  this  our 
dwelling-place  in  the  wild  woods;  and  though  like 
Jacob  of  old,  we  have  but  a  stone  for  a  pillow  and  the 
canopy  of  heaven  for  a  covering,  may  we  all  find  God 
in  this  place,  and  may  it  be  to  us  as  the  House  of  God 


Settling  in  New  Hampshire  15 

and  the  Gate  of  Heaven.'  "  How  the  prayer  of  this 
faithful  woman  was  answered,  time  has  told. 

Mistress  Allace  resumed  her  story  in  this  way: 
"Pilot  Spalding  made  fast  the  canoe  to  the  willows 
and  asked  us  to  await  his  return.  Your  father  could 
get  no  direct  answer  to  his  inquiries,  'Is  all  well?  and 
have  you  brought  us  a  supply  of  food?' — 'Come  and 
see,'  replied  Spalding,  and  as  they  stood  upon  the 
bank  he  saw  beneath  the  frail  bark  in  which  were  his 
wife  and  children.  The  emotion  of  the  moment  was 
almost  too  much ;  I  sprang  forward,  the  little  ones  fol- 
lowing. He  received  us  with  joy  mixed  with  agony; 
'Are  you  come  here  to  die,'  he  exclaimed,  'before  your 
time?  We  have  no  house  to  shelter  you,  and  you  will 
perish  before  we  can  build  one! ' 

"  'Cheer  up,  my  faithful,'  I  replied,  '  let  the  smiles 
and  the  rosy  cheeks  of  your  children,  and  the  health 
and  cheerfulness  of  your  wife  make  you  joyful!  If 
you  have  no  house  you  have  strength  and  hands  to 
make  one.  The  God  we  worship  will  bless  us,  and 
help  us  to  obtain  a  shelter.  Cheer  up !  Cheer  up !  my 
faithful !  • 

"The  sunshine  of  joy  and  hope  began  to  beam  from 
his  countenance  and  the  news  was  soon  told  to  the 
company  of  workmen,  and  the  woods  rang  with  their 
shouts  in  honor  of  the  first  white  woman  and  her 
children  on  the  banks  of  the  Connecticut  above  Fort 
No.  4. 

"All  hands  assembled  to  welcome  the  strangers. 
Trees  were  felled  and  peeled,  and  the  bark  in  large 
sheets  was  spread  for  a  floor,  other  sheets  were  fast- 
ened by  thongs  of  twisted  twigs  to  stakes  driven 
in  the  ground,  and  were    raised  for  walls  or  laid  on 


i6  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

cross-pieces  for  a  roof,  and  a  cheerful  fire  soon  made 
glad  our  little  dwelling.  The  space  of  three  hours  was 
not  consumed  in  doing  all  this,  and  never  were  men 
more  happy  than  these  men  who  contributed  so  speed- 
ily to  supply  our  wants. 

"Beds  were  brought  from  the  canoe  to  the  rustic 
pavilion,  and  on  them  we  rested  sweetly,  fearless 
of  danger,  though  the  thick  foliage  was  wet  with  dew, 
and  the  wild  creatures  of  the  woods  howled  around  us. 

"The  next  day  all  hands  were  called  to  build  a  cabin 
which  served  us  for  the  coming  winter,  and  in  which, 
cheered  by  the  rising  prospects  of  the  family,  and  the 
mutual  affection  of  all  around  us,  my  enjoyments  were 
more  exquisite  than  at  any  other  period  of  my  life." 

One  cannot  but  admire,  and  almost  envy,  the  happi- 
ness of  this  pure  and  high-minded  woman  in  taking 
possession  of  a  cabin  in  the  wilderness  with  her  flock  of 
little  ones  (to  which  a  little  daughter  was  soon  added), 
far  from  the  comforts  of  ordinary  life,  and  with  so 
much  depending  upon  her  own  hands  and  her  own 
courage  and  strength,  her  faith  in  her  husband,  and 
her  trust  in  God.  She  was  indeed  a  woman  fitted  by 
nature  and  grace  to  be  the  mother  of  men  and  women. 
And  thus  this  branch  of  Aquila's  descendants  began 
life  in  Cornish,  New  Hampshire,  in  1765. 


CHAPTER  III 

PIONEER   LIFE 

THE  family  life  begun  so  happily  in  the  log  cabin  on 
the  banks  of  the  Connecticut  was  a  very  busy 
period  during  the  winter  following  the  events  of  that 
summer,  so  pleasantly  described  by  Mistress  AUace  in 
the  last  chapter. 

Any  one  familiar  with  pioneer  life  can  imagine  what 
it  was  for  the  mother  of  a  large  family,  shut  in  by 
wintry  storms  in  a  log  cabin,  without  neighbors,  and 
without  access  to  aid  in  time  of  sickness  or  serious  ac- 
cident. Doctors  and  nurses  there  were  none,  but  this 
family  seems  to  have  been  cared  for,  especially  as,  of 
fifteen  children  born  to  them  in  an  incredibly  short 
period,  but  one  died  in  infancy;  the  remaining  fourteen 
grew  up  to  be  men  and  women  of  a  type  well  known 
in  the  annals  of  New  England,  "makers  of  history"  in 
the  true  sense  of  the  word. 

There  is  no  record  of  how  the  years  passed  with  Mis- 
tress Allace  and  her  husband,  but  we  may  naturally 
conclude  that  as  the  "rising  prospects  of  the  family," 
before  alluded  to,  continued  steadily  to  cheer  them, 
additional  house-room  must  quickly  have  become  a 
necessity.  How  soon  the  house  on  "Cornish  plain" 
was  built  is  not  now  apparent,  but  as  the  seven  very 
soon  became  ten  sturdy  boys  and  girls,  we  imagine 

2 

I? 


i8  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

that  so  thrifty  a  couple  made  the  flitting  to  three  miles 
south  of  their  first  home  in  a  short  time. 

Meantime,  local  history  indicates  that  the  settlers 
from  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut  were  not  only 
creeping  up  the  river  valley,  but  penetrating  year  by 
year  into  the  fertile  lands  of  White  River,  in  Ver- 
mont, and  its  tributary  streams,  the  "East  and  West 
Branch. ' ' 

At  Royalton,  on  the  White  River,  in  1780,  there 
was  a  considerable  settlement,  which  was  that  year 
burned  by  the  Indians;  several  persons  were  murdered 
and  others  taken  prisoners, — in  fact,  every  building 
was  destroyed  except  a  small  shed  which  still  stands. 
Some  of  these  prisoners  returned  to  their  homes  after 
two  years  among  the  Indians. 

Randolph,  Vermont,  was  first  settled  in  1776.  In 
1780,  the  Indians,  on  their  triumphant  way  from  the 
burning  of  Royalton,  captured  seven  men  in  Ran- 
dolph, half  of  the  male  population  of  the  town.  These 
all  returned  after  a  captivity  of  two  years. 

It  may  be  taken  for  granted  that,  before  the  birth  of 
young  Philander  in  1775,  December  14th,  this  large 
family  of  young  people  and  their  parents  had  plenty  of 
work  to  do  in  providing  for  the  needs  of  the  younger 
ones,  as  well  as  their  own.  Deacon  Chase,  who  was 
of  Puritan  stock,  and  his  wife,  kept  a  firm  hand  upon 
all  these  youngsters.  Happily,  however,  for  both  him- 
self and  his  children,  he  had  a  keen  sense  of  humor, 
which  most  of  them  shared  with  him. 

The  three  girls  born  before  coming  to  Cornish  were 
now  old  enough  to  be  of  great  help  to  their  mother. 
As  soon  as  possible  Deacon  Chase  provided  cows  for 
the  comfort   and   sustenance  of  the  growing  family. 


Pioneer  Life  19 

Butter  and  cheese  were  made  by  wife  and  children. 
Sheep  were  also  brought  into  the  country ;  the  wife 
and  daughters  were  provided  with  spinning-wheels,  and 
it  was  not  long  before  a  hand-loom  and  all  necessary 
implements  for  the  manufacture  of  woollen  cloth  were 
provided,  to  wit :  the  wheels,  reels,  reeds,  shuttles,  etc. 

Carding  the  wool  by  hand  for  spinning  must  have 
been  necessary,  for  the  "rolls"  could  not  then  have 
been  made  by  machinery,  and  this  was  also  the  work  of 
women  in  a  New  England  household.  In  due  time 
flax  was  raised  upon  the  farm,  and  then  it  underwent 
an  elaborate  process, — pounding  in  brakes, ' '  swingling' ' 
with  a  swingle  knife,  and  beating  with  a  beetle,  until  it 
became  soft,  and  then  it  was  "hetchelled."  All  this 
was  work  for  a  man.  When  the  flax  was  thus  pre- 
pared came  the  woman's  work,  spinning.  This  was 
done  by  means  of  the  "little  wheel,"  and  was  a  work 
of  much  nicety  and  carefulness.  No  doubt  Mistress 
Chase  took  this  delicate  work  for  herself.  At  this 
period  all  the  cloth  and  linen  for  family  use  was  made 
at  home, — flannel  and  woollen  cloth  for  underwear, 
coats,  and  trousers ;  yarn  for  stockings  and  mittens ; 
linen  for  sheets  and  pillow-cases,  towels  and  table- 
cloths; heavy  yarn  for  bed-spreads  woven  in  curious 
and  even  beautiful  patterns, — all  these  and  more  were 
women's  work. 

Beside  these,  there  was  hard  work  for  women  when 
hogs  were  killed  and  lard  was  to  be  "tried  out,"  saus- 
ages made,  pickling  and  preparing  hams  and  bacon, 
and  salting  the  fat  pork ;  and  then  when  the  fat  beef 
was  killed  there  was  another  process  of  pickling  and 
salting.  And  then  candles  were  to  be  made  after  the 
tallow  was  "tried  out," 


20  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

Add  to  this  the  fact  that  all  the  ordinary  cooking 
was  done  over  a  fire  in  the  big  fireplace, — frying,  broil- 
ing, and  boiling, — much  of  the  baking  in  a  Dutch  oven, 
potatoes  roasted  in  the  ashes,  and  the  bread  mostly 
from  Indian  corn  and  rye ;  while  pies  and  cakes  were 
baked  in  a  brick  oven,  with  beans  and  meats,  all  pre- 
pared by  women's  work. 

Soap  and  starch  were  also  made  at  home  with  infinite 
labor  and  painstaking.  After  orchards  began  to  bear 
fruit,  cider  was  made  in  great  quantities,  and  cider 
brandy  of  domestic  manufacture  furnished  enough  of 
the  necessary  (?)  stimulant  for  men  of  that  day.  Bar- 
rels of  apple-sauce  were  provided  for  winter  use  also. 
Sugar  was  made  in  early  spring  from  the  sap  of  maple 
trees,  although  involving  much  labor  both  outdoors 
and  in  the  kitchen.  It  was  a  gala  time  for  the  children 
when  the  snow,  still  on  the  ground,  began  to  melt,  and 
the  boys  got  out  the  big  kettles  and  the  sap-tubs  and 
hied  themselves  to  the  sugar  bush. 

Of  the  young  men  who  were  born  before  coming  to 
Cornish,  now  grown  to  manhood,  there  were  four, 
Simeon,  Salmon,  Ithamar,  Baruch ;  for  these  the  woods 
and  streams  furnished  infinite  delight,  mingled  with 
enough  danger  to  heighten  rather  than  detract  from 
their  pleasure,  while  adding  to  the  resources  of  the 
family  by  their  tributes  of  venison  and  wild  birds  from 
the  forest,  and  trout  from  the  cool  streams  coming  to 
meet  the  beautiful  river  from  the  north. 

No  doubt  the  boys  hunted  for  the  wild  honey  which 
wild  bees  had  stored  for  many  summers  in  the  wilder- 
ness, and  searched  and  found  where  the  hill  straw- 
berries grew  and  the  wild  raspberries  ripened  cool  and 
sweet  under  the  beech  trees  and  in  the  partially  cleared 


Pioneer  Life  21 

land,  where  sweet  blackberries  tempted  their  sisters 
into  the  dangerous  fields  out  of  sight  of  the  smoke  of 
the  big  chimney  at  the  home. 

In  the  winter,  when  the  moon  shone  bright  up  and 
down  the  frozen  river,  what  a  pleasure  to  slide  or  skate 
or  drive  a  sled  with  all  their  might,  their  young  hearts 
beating  with  the  joy  of  mere  living ! 

The  humorous  side  of  life  gave  these  children  a  cer- 
tain pleasure  which  many  of  the  same  class  could  not 
appreciate;  besides,  by  some  means,  they  had  books, 
scarce  as  they  must  have  been.  Of  newspapers  there 
could  have  been  none;  what  Deacon  Chase  knew 
about  the  war  of  the  Revolution  was  brought  to  his 
ears  by  transmission  from  mouth  to  mouth  by  the 
settlers  down  the  Connecticut. 

The  farmer  of  to-day  may  profitably  look  back, 
through  the  vista  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-three 
years,  to  the  days  when  the  farmer  of  1780  worked  his 
woodland  acres  by  means  of  a  rude  plough,  fashioned 
in  part  by  his  own  hand,  and  propelled  by  an  ox  team. 

All  the  tools  were  more  or  less  made  at  home,  at 
least  the  parts  constructed  of  wood.  The  grain,  most 
of  it  (rye  and  oats),  was  threshed  by  flails  made  of  very 
hard  wood,  and  fastened  by  leather  thongs  at  the  joint. 
These  flails  are  curiosities  now,  but  their  cheery  thump 
from  the  open  barn-doors  on  sunny  days  in  winter  is 
one  of  the  memories  of  the  childhood  of  people  now 
living.  "Fanning  mills"  were  not  then  invented,  and 
cleaning  the  grain  from  fine  dust  and  straws  was  done 
by  means  of  a  "cradle"  manipulated  by  the  farmer's 
strong  arms. 

Added  to  these  little  inconveniences,  matches  were 
not  in  use  for  nearly  sixty  years  after  this  period.    The 


22  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

coals  on  the  big  kitchen  hearth-stone  were  not  allowed 
to  go  out  at  night,  but  were  carefully  covered  with 
ashes;  or,  should  such  a  dire  accident  occur,  fire  must 
be  produced  by  means  of  a  flint  and  tinder-box,  or  the 
hot  coals  sent  for  from  neighbors,  if  within  reach. 
Imagine  the  situation  in  a  dark  night  in  mid-winter 
with  a  child  ill  with  sudden  croup ! 

Smoking  was  not  made  easy  in  those  days;  the 
kitchen  tongs,  heavy  as  they  were,  held  the  hot  coal 
to  the  plug  weed,  finely  shredded,  or  the  tallow  candle 
was  held  close  to  the  cob  pipe,  ere  the  soothing  weed 
might  console  its  owner.  But  perhaps  these  stalwart 
young  Chases  were  not  addicted  to  or  held  in  bonds 
by  this  habit. 

Mistress  Allace  for  all  these  busy  years  was  the  main- 
spring in  this  extraordinary  household.  From  1764  to 
1785  great  changes  occurred  in  her  family. 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE   FAMILY   OF   DUDLEY   CHASE 

THE  three  eldest  girls,  Mercy,  Lois,  Abigail,  now 
have  grown  into  capable  young  women,  well 
prepared  to  become  heads  of  homes,  in  all  that  was 
needed. 

About  this  time  Deacon  Chase  acquired  considerable 
wealth  by  the  sale  of  his  lands,  and  he  evidently  was 
an  excellent  business  man.  His  farm  furnished  the 
family  with  the  means  of  comfortable  support.  In 
1780  he  began  to  consider  ways  and  means  for  provid- 
ing his  young  people  with  homes  for  themselves.  For 
this  object  he  proposed  to  invest  in  "more  land."  He 
therefore  started  out  to  explore  the  valley  of  the  White 
River  and  its  "West  Branch"  in  particular.  This 
journey  was  made  on  foot  and  alone ;  and  late  at 
night,  weary  and  hungry,  he  made  his  camp  at  a  point 
near  the  site  of  old  Christ  Church,  in  what  is  now 
called  Bethel,  in  Vermont.  Here  he  found  a  conven- 
ient stone  for  a  pillow,  and  doubtless  made  himself  as 
comfortable  as  possible  under  the  circumstances.  He 
soon  fell  asleep  and,  like  Jacob  of  old,  dreamed  that 
he  saw  the  "Angels  of  God  ascending  and  descending 
a  ladder  let  down  from  Heaven,"  and  this  he  con- 
sidered a  token  that  he  had  found  the  land  of  promise. 
Upon  awakening  and  resuming  his  search,  he  saw  that 

23 


24  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

meadow-lands  up  "the  Branch"  were  fair  and  fertile; 
he  therefore  concluded  his  purchase  of  a  township  of 
land,  and  named  the  same  Bethel,  the  western  portion, 
Gilead;  and  Bethel-Gilead  it  has  been  unto  this 
day. 

Into  this  town  of  Bethel-Gilead  came,  not  long  after, 
several  of  Deacon  Chase's  daughters  and  their  hus- 
bands, and  one  of  his  sons,  Simeon. 

Mercy,  born  April  6,  1755,  second  child,  and  eldest 
daughter  of  Dudley  and  Allace  Chase,  married  (Enos?) 
Child.  This  couple  came  to  Bethel-Gilead  and  there 
brought  up  a  large  family.  Among  their  grandchildren 
were  at  least  three  clergymen,  the  Rev.  George  P. 
Comings,  the  Rev.  Stephen  Child,  and  the  Rev.  Henry 
Safford. 

Lois  Chase,  third  child  of  Dudley  and  Allace  Chase, 
was  born  August  16,  1756.  She  married  Benjamin 
Smith.  This  couple  settled  upon  the  fertile  farm 
situated  upon  the  West  Branch  of  the  White  River  in 
Bethel,  Vermont.  They  were  made  happy  by  many 
children,  most  of  whom  emigrated  to  the  far  West. 
Among  the  grandchildren  is  Colonel  Dudley  Chase 
Smith,  now  living  in  Normal,  Illinois. 

Simeon  Chase,  second  son  of  Dudley  and  Allace 
Chase,  was  born  June  14,  1758.  He  settled  upon  a 
portion  of  the  township  of  land  called  Bethel.  He 
married  Molly  March.  This  couple  had  but  two 
children.  "Uncle  Simeon"  is  remembered  as  a  very 
handsome  old  man,  always  in  his  place  at  church, 
which  still  stands  on  what  was  his  own  land.  He  rests 
in  God's  Acre  near  old  Christ  Church  among  many  of 
his  kindred. 

Abigail,  the  third  daughter,  was  born  November  9, 


The  Family  of  Dudley  Chase  25 

1759.  She  married  John  Morse.  They  had  several 
children,  one  of  whom  was  the  Rev.  Intrepid  Morse, 
who  was  a  faithful  servant  of  God  and  one  of  the 
earhest  clergymen  of  Ohio.  He  always  remained  true 
to  his  first  bishop.  His  honored  grave  is  in  God's 
Acre  at  Gambier,  and  his  memory  is  blessed  in  the 
hearts  of  his  old  friends. 

Three  sons  come  next  upon  the  long  list  of  the  child- 
ren of  Deacon  Dudley  and  AUace  Chase.  Salmon,  born 
July  14,  1761 ;  Ithamar,  September  27,  1762;  Baruch, 
March  27,  1764.'  Of  these  their  youngest  brother, 
in  his  Reminiscences,  says:  "Salmon  was  a  barrister 
in  Portland,  Maine,  of  whom  the  late  Judge  Dawes  of 
Boston  was  heard  to  say  that  'he  never  saw  him  enter 
the  court  but  with  feelings  of  respect.'  "  He  died  in 
1806.  It  is  probable  that  this  young  man  must  have 
left  the  paternal  nest  very  early  in  life,  as  his  brother 
gives  no  further  record  of  his  career  and  there  is  no 
mention  that  he  was  married.  He  was  graduated  at 
Dartmouth,  and  must  have  been  among  the  first  of  her 
alumni. 

Ithamar,  the  next  son,  also  studied  at  Dartmouth 
and  was  for  many  years  a  member  of  the  Council  of 
the  State  of  New  Hampshire.  He  died  in  Keene, 
New  Hampshire,  in  1819.  He  married  a  Miss  Rall- 
ston,  and  of  several  children,  sons  and  daughters,  one 
was  named  Salmon  Portland  in  honor  of  his  uncle ;  his 
life  story  is  on  record  in  the  annals  of  his  country. 

Baruch,  the  next  son,  also  a  graduate  of  Dartmouth, 

'  In  a  copy  of  the  family  record  taken  from  the  Chase  family  Bible, 
now  owned  by  Joseph  Dudley  Denison,  of  Randolph,  Vermont,  it  is 
stated  that  John,  born  in  Sutton,  April  30,  1754,  was  the  oldest  son. 
He  died  in  infancy. 


26  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

the  last  of  the  pre-Cornish  children,  was  solicitor  for 
Hillsborough  County,  New  Hampshire,  for  many 
years,  and  president  of  the  Merrimac  County  bank. 
He  died  March  4,  1841,  at  his  home  in  Hopkinton, 
New  Hampshire.  He  was  a  charming  old  man  with  a 
sweet  and  gentle  face.  His  wife  was  Miss  Ellen  Wig- 
gin.  She  was  a  sister  of  Timothy  Wiggin,  of  Man- 
chester, England. 

The  wonder  is  how  these  boys  were  prepared  for 
college.  How  did  they  learn  even  the  rudiments  of 
"some  Latin  and  less  Greek"?  Many  years  after 
1780-90  there  were  no  English  notes  to  the  Latin 
grammar,  or  to  Sallust  or  Virgil,  to  aid  the  schoolboy 
or  girl,  as  some  of  us  know  to  our  sorrow.  These 
boys  must  have  just  dug  their  way  through  with  a  de- 
termination that  schoolboys  of  to-day  never  could 
bring  to  the  Lessons  in  Latin  viade  Easy  in  this 
period  of  the  world.  But  one  may  venture  to  say  that 
in  these  youngsters  there  were  high  aspirations,  that 
their  souls  were  filled  with  the  gladness  of  a  pure  and 
happy  youth,  although  they  had  never  tasted  of  what 
many  call  the  pleasures  of  life.  They  had  never 
danced  at  a  ball,  never  seen  a  theatre,  and  had  no  idea 
of  what  is  now  called  Society.  If,  as  is  said,  the  rail- 
road is  the  harbinger  of  a  new  era  in  life,  which  brings 
with  it  the  habits  of  urban  civilization, — art,  music, 
books,  and  luxurious  living, — that  time  was  "not  yet  " 
for  these  boys. 

Fifty,  yes,  nearly  seventy  years  after  this  period, 
the  first  railroad  came  up  the  valley  of  the  Connecti- 
cut, in  sight  of  Cornish  plain.  Prior  to  this,  slow, 
covered  wagons  brought  goods  from  Boston,  and  the 
farmers  in  the  winter  carried  in  sleighs  the  products  of 


The  Family  of  Dudley  Chase  27 

the  valley  farms  to  market,  and  the  farmer  men  and 
boys  drove  their  fat  cattle  and  sheep  there  in  summer. 

That  four  of  these  boys  at  that  time,  so  nearly  of  an 
age,  should  have  been  graduated  at  Dartmouth,  and  a 
fifth  have  studied  there  (Ithamar,  the  father  of  Chief- 
Justice  Chase),  is  a  very  remarkable  circumstance  in 
itself.  The  course  of  study  must  have  been  fairly 
good.  Some  rather  remarkable  men  were  trained  at 
Dartmouth  about  this  time, —  for  instance,  Daniel 
Webster. 

The  first  child  born  in  Cornish  was  Allace ;  and  she, 
as  appears  in  letters  written  seventy  years  after  by  her 
youngest  brother  Philander,  was  his  nurse,  caring  for 
him  while  his  busy  mother  was  attending  to  her  great 
household,  and  playing  with  him  in  summer  on  the 
rocks  which  hemmed  the  banks  of  the  Connecticut, 
whence  the  children  could  look  across  to  beautiful  old 
Ascutney,  green  with  the  unequalled  verdure  of  the 
Vermont  hills  in  summer,  and  in  winter  grand  with 
their  mantle  of  snow.  What  native  of  this  land  but 
has  Ascutney  imprinted  on  his  memory,  a  part  of  his 
soul  forever? 

Allace  Chase,  born  October,  1765,  became  in  after 
years  Mrs.  Bybye  Lake  Cotton,  and  to  her  was  given, 
by  her  father,  another  farm  next  to  her  sister,  Lois 
Smith,  in  Bethel.  Here  she  lived,  and  died  at  an  ad- 
vanced age  in  1844.  She  was  a  woman  of  superior 
attainments.  It  is  a  tradition  that  she  could  repeat 
the  whole  of  Homer's  Iliad,  and  that  when  her 
brothers  were  in  college  she  kept  up  with  them  in 
Latin  and  Greek.  She  is  also  remembered  as  the  most 
delightful  of  story  tellers,  when  she  had  time  to  give 
to    the    children.      After    the    family    came   into   the 


28  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

Church  she  was  most  earnest  and  influential  in  her 
efforts  to  build  up  the  parish  in  Bethel.  She  was  laid 
to  rest  in  the  churchyard  of  the  old  church  in  Bethel. 
She  had  two  daughters  and  one  son.  The  son  in- 
herited the  genius  of  his  mother.  He  was  Captain 
Salmon  Chase  Cotton,  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of 
Grand  Detour,  Illinois,  and  one  of  the  most  charming 
of  men,  as  all  his  old  friends  knew. 

One  of  the  granddaughters  of  Allace  Chase  married 
William  Henry  Augustus  Bissell,  afterwards  second 
bishop  of  his  native  State,  Vermont.  Another  grand- 
daughter married  the  Rev.  Gemont  Graves,  of  Burling- 
ton, Vermont.     The  latter  is  still  living. 

The  next  daughter,  Sarah,  born  September  14,  1767, 
married  Jireh  Durkee.  She  had  but  one  son.  Her 
grave  is  in  the  cemetery  in  Burlington,  Vermont. 

Two  sons  came  next,  Daniel  Corbett  Chase,  born 
January  13,  1769.  He  died  in  Philadelphia  August  14, 
1798,  of  yellow  fever.  Heber,  born  September  2, 
1770,  was  a  physician.  He  died  in  Demarara,  South 
America,  September  4,  1798.  They  were  both  un- 
married. 

Dudley,  the  fourth  son  of  Dudley  and  Allace,  was 
graduated  at  Dartmouth  College.  He  began  the  prac- 
tice of  law  in  1794,  in  Randolph,  Vermont,  a  town  in 
Orange  County,  bordering  upon  Bethel,  in  Windsor 
County.  He  was  State's  Attorney  for  Orange  County 
from  1803  to  181 1,  United  States  Senator  from  Ver- 
mont from  1813  to  1817,  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court 
of  Vermont  from  1817  to  1821,  and  again  United 
States  Senator  from  1824  to  1831.  He  died  at  his 
home  in  Randolph  in  1846.  The  above  is  the  brief 
record  from  a  local  history  of  Randolph.     But  to  his 


The  Family  of  Dudley  Chase  29 

friends  and  neighbors,  and  to  all  who  knew  him,  he 
was  much  more  than  this.  From  his  early  Hfe,  among 
the  sturdy  men  of  these  times,  he  was  the  exemplar  of 
thoroughness  in  everything  that  he  did ;  he  was  the 
best  farmer,  had  the  best  fences,  the  best  and  most 
beautiful  garden,  and  all  the  working-tools  about  his 
home  were  cared  for  properly.  He  soon  built  the 
finest  and  best  house  in  the  country,  planted  the  finest 
orchards,  raised  the  best  apples,  plums,  and  cherries 
that  ever  were  seen  in  that  country,  and  planned  for 
the  best  and  widest  roads  in  Randolph.  He  adopted, 
or,  rather,  cared  for  when  necessary,  twelve  children, 
giving  the  girls  a  portion  at  their  marriage  and  educat- 
ing the  boys.  He  had  no  children  of  his  own.  His 
success  as  a  lawyer  and  statesman  was  known  all  over 
the  country,  and  his  honesty  as  a  man  and  citizen 
never  questioned. 

One  wonders  what  this  pure  and  noble  man  would 
think  of  the  politician  of  to-day;  the  "log-rolling"  of 
his  time  was  of  another  sort.  Some  eminent  lawyers 
were  trained  in  the  little  office  on  his  grounds,  which 
is  yet  standing. 

He  died  at  the  home  he  built  a  hundred  years  ago. 
It  stands  embowered  in  the  maples  he  planted,  and 
looks  as  if  it  might  stand  hundreds  of  years  longer. 
The  large  rooms  remain  almost  the  same ;  the  only 
serious  and  unfortunate  change  has  been  the  removal 
of  the  chimney  and  wide  kitchen  fireplace.  He  and 
his  wife  Olive  rest  in  the  old  graveyard  at  Randolph 
Centre. 

Rachel  Chase,  the  last  daughter  on  the  list,  the  child- 
ish companion  of  the  little  brother  Philander,  came 
to  Vermont  and  spent  her  married  life  in  Royalton 


30  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

on  the  White  River.  Her  husband  was  Dr.  Joseph 
Adam  Denison,  who  was  the  authority  in  the  medical 
world  for  fifty  years  in  that  vicinity,  as  also  was  his 
son  of  the  same  name,  but  whose  life  was  cut  short  in 
comparatively  early  years.  The  descendants  of  Rachel 
Chase  and  Joseph  Adam  Denison  are  numerous,  and 
all  of  them  worthy  of  a  high  place  in  the  honorable 
estimation  of  their  friends.  Many  of  them  are  profes- 
sional men  of  high  standing  in  various  parts  of  our 
country.  Among  these  may  be  mentioned  Dr.  Charles 
Denison,  of  Denver,  and  Prof.  Charles  Denison,  Uni- 
versity of  Michigan. 

Philander,  the  fifteenth  child  of  Dudley  and  Allace 
Chase,  was  born  in  Cornish,  New  Hampshire,  Decem- 
ber 14,  1775.  He  was  married  in  1796  to  Mary  Fay, 
the  daughter  of  Mary  Page  Fay  and  Daniel  Fay,  of 
Hardwick,  Massachusetts. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE   YOUNG   PHILANDER 

PHILANDER,  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  was  a  happy, 
healthy  boy,  handsome  in  person,  accustomed  to 
all  the  merry  sports  of  youth,  and  no  doubt  guarded 
by  his  elders  and  parents  from  all  unusual  care  and 
labor  as  the  youngest  of  their  flock.  He  says,  in  his 
Reminiscences,  that  up  to  this  time,  he  had  a  decided 
preference  for  the  life  of  a  farmer.  His  father,  like 
the  patriarchs  of  old,  had  with  his  children  "fed  his 
flocks  by  the  side  of  living  waters  in  green  pastures" 
for  many  years,  till  now  he  was  old  and  gray-headed. 
Most  of  his  children  had  left  him  for  homes  of  their 
own.  The  thought  of  such  a  separation  was  painful  to 
Philander's  youthful  heart,  and  for  a  time  he  was  in- 
dulged in  the  pleasing  dream  of  being  the  favored  one 
who  should  occupy  the  home  farm  and  minister  to  the 
wants  of  his  parents  in  their  declining  years. 

Deacon  Chase  and  his  wife  were  born  and  bred  in 
the  Puritan  faith,  but  both  had  the  kindly,  generous 
nature  which  disarmed  the  rigid  laws  and  practices  that 
prevailed  in  those  early  days  of  most  of  their  terrors. 

These  children  in  their  sylvan  home  in  the  wild 
woods,  afar  from  the  temptations  of  large  towns,  led 
an  innocent  life,  drinking  in  with  their  breath  the 
sweet  influences  of  nature. 

31 


32  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

Deacon  Chase  must  have  seen  that  his  youngest  boy 
had  within  him,  if  rightly  trained,  that  which  might 
make  him  "a  leader  of  men,"  and  although  his  heart 
would  fain  keep  the  child  with  him  for  the  comfort  of 
his  old  age,  his  anxiety  that  Philander,  the  last  of  his 
sons,  "  should  become  a  minister  of  the  Gospel  "  pre- 
vailed over  his  natural  affection  for  the  child  so  pre- 
cious to  both  parents.  Indeed,  it  was  the  constant 
prayer  of  these  good  people  that  God  would  incline 
the  heart  of  this  child  in  this  way. 

As  the  four  sons  who  had  been  educated  at  Dart- 
mouth had  all  entered  upon  life  in  other  professions, 
this  desire  was  very  near  their  hearts.  Their  prayers 
were  answered  in  a  painful  way. 

Young  Philander,  while  on  a  visit  to  his  sister  in 
Bethel,  met  with  a  serious  accident,  which  crippled 
him  for  nearly  a  year,  and  soon  after  this  he  had  the 
misfortune  to  break  his  leg,  from  which  he  suffered  for 
many  weeks.  His  father  took  this  opportunity  to  tell 
his  son  that  this  very  great  trial  might  be  the  means  of 
showing  him  the  way  of  duty,  and  that  he  should  im- 
mediately upon  his  recovery  begin  his  studies  prepara- 
tory for  entering  college.  He  did  not  add  "for  the 
ministry,"  but  the  son  knew  that  this  was  implied. 

It  seems  that  obedience  to  parents  was  the  rule  in 
this  family.  The  boy's  preference  had  evidently  been 
averse  to  this  plan,  but  he  yielded  to  the  wiser  judg- 
ment and  unselfish  sacrifice  of  his  father  and  mother. 
The  work  of  hard  study  was  at  once  begun,  and  in  less 
than  a  year  this  boy  passed  his  examination.  His 
brothers  were  his  tutors,  and  they  must  have  been  born 
teachers,  for  in  the  fall  of  1791  Philander  entered 
Dartmouth. 


The  Young  Philander  33 

In  the  year  1793-94,  while  a  member  of  the  sopho- 
more and  junior  classes,  young  Philander  happened 
to  find  a  Book  of  Common  Prayer.  It  was  a  rare 
book  in  those  days,  as  every  churchman  now  knows ; 
so  soon  after  the  Revolution  the  Episcopal  Church  and 
its  members  were  but  a  "feeble  folk"  in  numbers,  and 
less  in  influence. 

This  circumstance,  trifling  as  it  seemed,  was  really 
a  very  important  event,  leading  to  great  changes  not 
only  in  Philander's  life,  but  in  the  lives  of  many  others. 
Instead  of  carelessly  looking  the  book  over  and  throw- 
ing it  aside,  he  studied  it,  he  compared  it  with  the 
Word  of  God,  and  the  more  he  examined  it,  the  more 
forcibly  its  beauties  appealed  to  his  sense  of  what  is 
the  true  way  of  worship.  He  communicated  these 
thoughts  to  his  family  and  friends.  This  was  evi- 
dently a  subject  that  enlisted  all  the  minds  of  this 
wonderfully  intelligent  family.  To  them  the  truth 
was  the  great  desire  of  their  hearts — something  stable, 
sure,  in  worship  and  belief.  This  Prayer  Book  seemed 
to  them,  upon  comparing  it  with  their  former  mode  of 
worship,  as  a  light  to  guide  them  into  the  paths  of 
peace  and  order. 

"These  considerations  concerning  the  liturgy  of  the 
Church,  joined  to  her  well-authenticated  claims  to  an 
apostolic  constitution  in  her  ministry,  were  among  the 
principal  reasons  which  induced  so  many  of  the  rela- 
tives to  conform  to  the  Episcopal  Church."  Instead 
of  repairing  the  meeting-house  where  his  father  and 
grandfather  had  ofiiciated  as  Congregational  deacons, 
they  decided  to  pull  it  down  and  erect  in  its  place  an 
Episcopal  church.  This  was  effected  in  great  har- 
mony ;  not  a  voice  was  raised  against  this  plan  in  the 


34  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

neighborhood.  This  is  certainly  a  most  remarkable 
event.  It  is  doubtful  if  anything  like  it  ever  occurred 
before  or  since.  That  a  mere  youth  should  have 
brought  this  about  among  his  relations  so  long  accus- 
tomed to  Congregational  worship  is  indeed  wonderful, 
but  that  the  whole  neighborhood  should  have  con- 
sented to  this  great  change  seems  next  to  impossible. 
However,  there  stands  the  church  to-day,  in  which 
divine  service  is  still  held. 

So  far  as  this  change  affected  young  Philander,  who 
was  then  in  his  nineteenth  year  and  who,  as  the  result 
of  his  newly  acquired  knowledge  of  the  Prayer  Book, 
had  become  ardently  desirous  of  entering  the  ministry 
when  qualified,  the  question  who  had  the  divine  right 
and  authority  to  ordain  him,  thereby  giving  him  an 
apostolic  commission  to  preach  and  administer  the 
Sacraments,  became  to  him  a  matter  of  great  conse- 
quence. 

At  this  early  period  (1793-94)  there  were  two  clergy- 
men of  the  Church  who  at  rare  intervals  visited  Bethel 
and  Cornish,  one  of  whom  was  the  Rev.  J.  C.  Ogden, 
a  man  of  talent  and  able  to  preach  well.  He  must 
have  taken  much  interest  in  the  promising  young 
student  at  Dartmouth,  for  he  visited  him  in  his  room, 
and  by  his  ardent  words  and  cheerful,  self-denying 
zeal  greatly  impressed  the  heart  of  the  growing  boy. 

Books  in  those  days  were  worth  their  weight  in 
gold.  An  English  book,  written  by  Jones  of  Nayland, 
had  been  published  in  England  and  somehow  a  few 
copies  had  been  brought  to  Vermont.  It  was  an  essay 
on  the  Church,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Ogden  was  so  desirous 
of  bringing  this  subject  before  his  people  that  he  de- 
termined to  re-publish   it   in  this  country       He  had 


The  Young  Philander  35 

saved  a  little  money  with  which  to  buy  an  overcoat,  so 
much  needed  in  that  cold  climate,  but  he  could  pay 
the  printer  with  this  money  and  "turn  his  old  overcoat 
to  keep  himself  decent."  The  printer  agreed  to  pub- 
lish the  little  essay,  but,  for  the  money  given,  could 
only  print  it  in  i6mo,  making  a  "short,  thick,  square" 
volume;  but  it  "told  what  the  world  is,  what  the 
Church  of  God  is,  how  to  find  the  latter,  and  how  to 
know  the  nature  of  the  other."  This  book  was  the 
means  of  doing  much  good.  People  were  then  looking 
for  the  truth. 

Another  clergyman  was  the  Rev.  Bethuel  Chitten- 
den, brother  of  the  Governor  of  Vermont  at  that  time. 
Hearing  that  there  were  a  few  churchmen  in  Bethel, 
Vermont,  and  in  Cornish,  New  Hampshire,  he  came 
over  the  Green  Mountains  to  visit  these  few  scattered 
members  of  the  fold.  It  was  no  easy  journey  to  cross 
the  Green  Mountains  then  ;  the  distance  was  not  great 
from  Rutland,  in  Vermont,  to  Bethel,  but  the  dark 
mountain  track  was  all  the  way  literally  a  howling 
wilderness,  inhabited  in  its  bleak  and  lonely  fastnesses 
only  by  bears  and  wolves. 

At  this  time  young  Philander  taught  school  in 
Bethel,  when  it  was  possible  to  leave  his  studies  at 
Dartmouth,  and  also  acted  as  lay-reader  in  Bethel  and 
Cornish.  The  arrival  of  the  Rev.  Bethuel  Chittenden 
at  either  place  was  a  Godsend  to  these  earnest  people, 
for  they  all  knew  "he  was  a  well-ordained  minister  of 
Christ."  This  fact  seems  to  have  been  considered  to 
be  most  important  by  these  seekers  after  truth,  which 
it  certainly  was. 

"This  unknown  servant  of  God  was  almost  like  St. 
John  in  the  Wilderness,  clothed  in  sheep-skin  'smalls,' 


36  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

glazed  by  hard  and  frequent  use,  and  a  threadbare  blue 
coat,  yet  his  person  was  clean  and  his  manners  gentle, 
savoring  of  true  piety  mingled  with  good  sense  and 
enlivening  remarks."'  Mr.  Chittenden  had  been 
ordained  by  Bishop  Seabury,  the  first  Bishop  of  the 
Church  in  America,  and  had  been  sent  to  the  wilds  of 
Vermont. 

Bishop  Chase  says  in  a  letter  to  Bishop  Hopkins 
almost  fifty  years  after:  "It  was  from  this  man  that  I 
received  my  first  Communion,  and  well  do  I  remember 
with  what  solemnity  he  consecrated  the  elements  of 
bread  and  wine,  to  represent  the  'Body  broken  and  the 
Blood  poured  out,'  once  for  all,  on  the  Cross  for  the 
sins  of  the  world.  These  I  received  from  the  hands  of 
one  commissioned  of  the  Lord  to  give  them  to  me. 
Uninfluenced  by  external  riches  or  splendor,  my  very 
soul  was  engaged  by  the  internal  spiritual  meaning  of 
things  before  me,  and  in  proportion  to  my  faith  in 
Christ,  the  Author  of  the  Gospel  of  Peace,  and  in  the 
Divine  Commission  given  to  His  Ministers  to  adminis- 
ter this  sacrament,  my  love  to  His  Church  has  con- 
tinued to  this  day. 

"The  poverty  and  humble  clothing  of  this  Ambassa- 
dor of  Christ  in  no  way  derogated  from  the  authority 
he  had  received  from  the  Heavenly  King.  The  treaty 
of  mercy  he  could  sign  and  seal,  embracing  more 
treasures  than  the  mines  of  Golconda,  though  himself 
poor  and  distinguished  by  nothing  but  faith  in  the 
Word  of  His  Master,  the  King. ' '  These  were  the  senti- 
ments of  this  youth  upon  the  occasion  of  his  first 
Communion. 

'  Motto,  1849.  The  Motto  was  a  little  diocesan  paper  published  by 
Bishop  Chase  for  some  years. 


The  Young  Philander  37 

In  the  Reminiscences  is  this  further  proof  of  the 
youth's  feelings  upon  this,  to  him  and  his  family,  the 
most  important  event  of  their  lives:  "Never  will 
the  impressions  made  by  the  solemnity  of  this  divinely 
appointed  means  of  grace  be  obliterated  from  my 
mind." 

It  added  to  his  joy  and  comfort  that  his  father  and 
mother,  his  uncles,  his  sisters  and  brothers,  and  other 
relatives  were  kneeling  at  his  side,  and  although  many 
of  them  had  been  Congregationalists,  yet  they  were  one 
with  him  now  in  Christian  love.  From  that  day  he 
seemed  "  strengthened  and  refreshed  "  to  go  on  his 
way.  By  the  advice  of  the  clergy  above  named,  he 
read  prayers  and  authorized  printed  sermons  in  Hart- 
land  and  Bethel,  Vermont,  and  in  Cornish,  New  Hamp- 
shire. 

He  says  further:  "The  conformists  to  the  Church  in 
all  three  places  were  considerable  in  number,  particu- 
larly in  Bethel,  thus  laying  the  foundation  of  what 
was  for  many  years  the  largest  parish  in  the  diocese." 
These  efforts  to  build  up  the  primitive  Church  of  God 
were  made  when  the  young  man  was  a  student,  and 
principally  in  time  of  vacation  and  when  visiting  his 
friends  on  Sundays. 

He  was  graduated  from  Dartmouth  with  the  degree 
of  A.B.  1795. 


CHAPTER  VI 

STUDYING   FOR   THE    MINISTRY 

PHILANDER'S  graduation  occurred  the  summer 
before  his  twentieth  birthday.  Soon  after  this 
he  attended  a  convention  of  a  small  number  of  church- 
men on  the  west  side  of  the  Green  Mountains  in  Ar- 
lington, Vermont.  Here  he  learned  that  an  English 
clergyman  resided  in  Albany,  New  York,  and,  contrary 
to  his  friends'  and  his  own  expectations,  finding  that 
he  might  obtain  the  information  that  he  desired  in  the 
matter  of  studying  for  the  ministry,  he  continued  his 
journey  to  that  city. 

He  had  no  letters  of  introduction,  and  when  he 
arrived  in  Albany,  the  first  city  he  had  ever  seen,  he 
had  but  one  crown  in  his  pocket ;  neither  had  he  ever 
seen  a  person  who  lived  in  this  busy  terra  incognita, 
which  was  only  a  terrible  wilderness  to  this  country 
boy,  fresh  from  a  New  Hampshire  farm ;  nor  did  he 
know  where  to  look  for  the  Rev.  Thomas  Ellison,  of 
St.  Peter's  parish,  Albany,  whom  he  had  come  to  see 
in  this  audacious  manner.  But  as  he  naively  says  long 
years  after:  "I  pressed  fearlessly  onward;  God  was 
with  me,  opening  my  way  and  directing  my  steps." 

Having  learned  from  a  friendly  voice  that  the  Eng- 
lish dominie  lived  in  a  newly  built  house  on  the  clay 
bank,  the  youth  mounted  the  plank   doorsteps,  and 

38 


Studying  for  the  Ministry  39 

with  a  trembling  hand  knocked  at  the  door  of  the 
rector  of  St.  Peter's,  Albany.  "Is  this  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Ellison?  "  was  the  question  asked  when  the  top  of  a 
Dutch-built  door  was  opened  by  a  portly  gentleman  in 
black,  with  prominent  and  piercing  eyes  and  powdered 
hair.  "My  name  is  Ellison,"  said  he,  "and  I  crave 
yours."  Giving  his  name,  the  youth  explained  that 
he  had  come  from  New  Hampshire,  his  birthplace,  and 
he  was  very  anxious  to  become  a  candidate  for  holy 
orders  and  desired  Mr.  Ellison's  advice.  Mr.  Ellison's 
reply  was  most  frankly  reassuring :  ' '  God  bless  you ! 
walk  in !  " 

One  may  smile  over  this  picture.  No  doubt  this 
youth  of  nineteen  or  twenty,  clad  in  homespun  gar- 
ments made  by  the  hands  of  his  mother  and  sisters, 
wore  a  rustic  air  of  the  hills  and  woods,  but  withal  a 
countenance  lighted  by  bright  gray  eyes,  marked  by 
keen  intelligence,  and  cheeks  flushed  with  the  glow  of 
early  youth. 

This  was  indeed  a  crisis:  had  the  comfortable  and 
portly  Mr.  Ellison  been  troubled  with  dyspepsia  or  the 
gout,  things  might  have  turned  out  differently,  but  as 
he  had  warm,  honest  blood  in  his  veins  and  was  a 
"fine,  old  English  gentleman,"  he  was  evidently  very 
favorably  impressed  with  the  youthful  aspirant.  "As 
it  was  a  plain  story,"  says  the  old  Bishop  fifty  years 
and  more  after,  "all  things  assumed  a  pleasing  aspect." 

He  soon  received  an  appointment  as  a  teacher  in  a 
city  school,  and  free  access  to  a  well-chosen  theologi- 
cal library,  through  the  influence  of  his  newly  found 
friend.  This  was  a  most  remarkable  privilege,  for  at 
that  time  there  was  no  seminary  for  the  training  of  can- 
didates for  the  ministry  in  all  this  land.     Mr.  Ellison's 


40  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

influence  not  only  provided  young  Philander  with 
the  means  of  living  and  books  for  his  course  of  study, 
but  gave  him  the  opportunity  of  associating  with  a 
finished  scholar  and  a  clergyman  of  the  Church  of 
England.  No  doubt  these  very  favorable  circum- 
stances had  a  marked  influence  in  forming  the  character 
of  this  peculiarly  gifted  young  man. 

Before  the  matter  could  be  entirely  arranged,  a  Sun- 
day must  intervene,  and  Mr.  Ellison  very  wisely  gave 
the  young  man  an  opportunity  to  show  of  what  stuff 
he  was  made.  "As  you  say,"  he  remarked,  "you 
have  been  accustomed  to  read  the  service  among  your 
friends  in  New  Hampshire,  why  not  do  so  in  this 
neighborhood?  There  are  a  few  Church  people  in 
Troy,  suppose  you  spend  the  Sunday  there  as  a  lay- 
reader?  Your  commission  to  do  so  is  not  inferior  to 
others.  Take  a  manuscript  sermon  of  mine,  and  if  you 
can  read  it,  do  so." 

Some  young  men,  situated  as  Philander  was,  would 
have  hesitated  because  he  was  out  of  money,  or  made 
some  paltry  excuse,  feeling  that  he  was  but  a  country 
boy  and  would  be  timid  about  reading  the  service  be- 
fore "city  folk."  Not  this  boy,  however.  He  was 
glad  to  go,  not  only  that  he  might  defray  his  own  ex- 
penses, but  he  was  eager  to  take  his  chances  and  do  his 
best  among  the  best  people ;  and  he  was  profoundly 
grateful  to  Mr.  Ellison  for  proposing  this  plan.  So 
off  young  Philander  started  for  Troy  with  a  letter  from 
Mr.  Ellison  in  his  pocket  and  one  of  his  manuscript 
sermons  also. 

He  soon  found  himself  with  friends,  and  very  good 
and  generous  friends  they  were.  It  would  seem,  even 
at  that  early  age,  he  captured  friends  without  effort. 


I 


Studying  for  the  Ministry  41 

It  is  probable  that  his  earnestness  of  purpose  and  sin- 
cerity of  faith  gave  to  his  manner  an  attractive  absence 
of  self-consciousness. 

The  story  goes  on  :  "All  denominations  then  met  in 
one  house  [Troy,  New  York,  1795],  and  the  afternoon 
of  Sunday  was  assigned  for  the  service  of  the  Church. 
The  assembly  was  large  and  decorous;  and  though 
he  was  but  the  organ  of  others,  he  saw  what  oppor- 
tunities God  might  give  him  for  doing  good  when  duly 
qualified  and  authorized  to  perform  the  sacred  func- 
tions. This  encouraged  him  to  go  on  with  confidence 
in  the  goodness  of  God." 

But  some  time  previous  he  must  have  formed  another 
tie,  which  in  the  summer  of  1796  was  made  into  an  in- 
dissoluble bond  by  his  marriage  before  his  twenty-first 
birthday  to  Mary  Fay,  a  young  girl  of  sixteen,  whom 
he  met  first  in  Bethel,  Vermont.  His  school  in  Al- 
bany, where  he  had  a  salary  of  four  hundred  dollars  a 
year,  was  kept  in  Maiden  Lane  in  an  old  Dutch  house, 
in  the  rear  of  the  mansion  of  Philip  Van  Rensselaer; 
and  here  the  young  wife  joined  him,  and  here  in  the 
following  year  their  first  son  was  born. 

This  early  marriage,  before  his  ordination,  was  no 
doubt  considered  by  his  elders  most  unwise  and  im- 
prudent ;  and  so  it  was  in  some  respects,  but  after  all 
it  nerved  his  heart  and  hand  to  do  all  in  his  power  to 
win  the  battle  of  life  worthily,  especially  as  the  girl 
he  had  chosen  was  well-born  and  well-bred  and,  as 
tradition  declares,  was  a  beautiful,  bright,  and  lovely 
girl. 

A  story  is  told  of  this  courtship,  which  is  the  only 
knowledge,  or  tradition,  rather,  of  this  early  love  story 
that  remains.     This  young  girl  was  the  daughter  of 


42  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

Daniel  and  Mary  Page  Fay,  of  Hardwick,  Massachu- 
setts, both  of  good  family.  The  mother  was  a  woman 
of  fine  presence,  even  in  extreme  old  age.  They  had 
come  to  Vermont  to  improve  their  fortunes,  but  found 
"hard  times,"  as  most  early  settlers  do.  It  seems 
that  young  Philander  had  consulted  his  father  and 
mother  concerning  this  new  departure,  and  this  led  to 
a  little  journey,  on  the  part  of  the  Deacon  (so  called  by 
courtesy)  and  his  wife,  from  Cornish  to  Bethel. 

By  this  time,  no  doubt,  there  were  good  roads  all  the 
way  up  the  river  to  the  junction  of  the  White  River 
with  the  Connecticut,  and  up  the  valley  of  the  former 
to  Bethel,  and  we  may  be  sure  that  the  old  people  had 
a  comfortable  "one  hoss  shay"  and  a  strong  horse  to 
propel  it. 

This  visit  from  the  parents  of  young  Philander  to 
those  of  his  promised  wife  was  unexpected  by  the  lat- 
ter; and  as  the  resources  of  the  family  were  small,  Mrs. 
Fay,  upon  the  arrival  of  her  rather  formidable  guests 
(under  such  circumstances)  labored  under  somewhat 
heavy  difificulties,  as  dinner-time  was  close  at  hand. 

But  she  was  a  woman  of  resources  and,  while  one 
side  of  her  brain  was  engaged  in  giving  a  proper  wel- 
come to  her  guests,  she  was  busily  planning  in  the 
other  side  what  she  should  get  for  dinner.  There  was 
no  bread  in  the  house,  therefore  she  sent  her  small  boy 
out  to  a  neighbor  and  bade  him  borrow  a  pailful  of 
flour.  It  was  July,  and  as  there  were  strawberries  in 
the  fields,  another  child  was  sent  to  pick  them.  There 
were  green  peas  in  the  garden ;  another  boy  was  sent 
on  this  errand,  while  she  sat  calmly  down  to  entertain 
her  friends,  as  she  stirred  a  bowl  of  cream  into  golden 
butter. 


REV.  PHILANDER  CHASE 
From  an  Ivory  Painted  Miniature.       Page  43, 


Studying  for  the  Ministry  43 

Meanwhile  her  husband  killed  a  chicken,  and  in  an 
hour  there  were  hot  "short  biscuits,"  chicken  fricassee, 
green  peas,  and  strawberries  and  cream, — a  meal  fit  for 
a  prince. 

The  Deacon  and  his  wife  observed  the  spotless  neat- 
ness of  this  home  and  concluded  that  all  was  well  with 
their  son,  especially  when  they  were  introduced  to  the 
sweet  young  girl  who  had  won  the  love  of  their  young- 
est son,  so  dear  to  their  hearts  and  so  worthy  of  their 
best  hopes. 

The  young  couple  remained  about  a  year  after  their 
marriage  in  the  old  Dutch  house  in  Albany,  while 
Philander  taught  his  schoolboys  and  studied  to  prepare 
himself  for  ordination.  This  event  was  not  delayed, 
for  on  the  loth  of  May,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1798, 
he  was  ordained  to  the  diaconate  in  St.  George's 
Church,  New  York,  by  the  Rt.  Rev.  Samuel  Pro- 
voost,  Bishop  of  New  York,  in  company  with  the 
Rev.  Robert  E.  Wetmore,  who  was  ordained  to  the 
priesthood.  Meantime  the  young  wife  had  returned 
to  her  friends  with  her  little  son,  and  in  the  same  sum- 
mer another  son  was  born  in  Bethel,  Vermont,  to 
whom  was  given  his  father's  name. 

At  the  time  of  his  ordination  to  the  diaconate,  this 
young  man,  Philander,  lacked  several  months  of  his 
twenty-third  birthday.  A  beautiful  miniature  of  the 
young  deacon,  painted  upon  ivory,  represents  a  bright, 
honest  face,  with  brown  hair  and  dark  eyes,  smiling 
yet  sedate,  and  apparently  looking  out  with  youthful 
confidence  upon  life  as  it  was  to  come,  in  what  seemed 
endless  years  before  him.  He  feared  nothing  then ; 
no  whisper  came  to  him  of  the  conflict  of  the  future. 


CHAPTER  VII 

IN  THE   WILDERNESS 

IMMEDIATELY  (and  this  word  seemed  to  be  the 
motto  then)  after  Philander  Chase's  ordination  to 
deacon's  orders,  he  was  appointed  itinerant  missionary 
to  the  northern  and  western  part  of  the  Diocese  of 
New  York. 

At  that  time  there  were  practically  but  three  cler- 
gymen in  all  the  vast  diocese  above  the  Highlands. 
They  were  the  Rev.  Thomas  Ellison,  Albany ;  the  Rev. 

Daniel  Nash,  Otsego ;  and  Urquhart,  officiating 

a  short  time  at  Johnstown,  afterwards  degraded. 

The  young  deacon  went  back  from  his  ordination  at 
New  York  City  to  Albany  in  a  sloop.  He  says  that 
the  voyage  frequently  took  a  week,  but  every  tide  set 
him  forward  a  little,  so  that  he  was  not  wholly  hope- 
less, even  with  the  wind  ahead.  This  journey  must 
have  been  pleasant  after  all ;  it  was  spring-time  in  the 
world  around  him,  and  no  doubt  his  young  heart 
thrilled  with  delight  at  the  work  before  him  and  with 
the  courage  born  of  a  desire  pure  and  true  to  do  this 
work  as  a  good  soldier  of  Christ. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Wetmore  had,  before  his  ordination, 
been  employed  by  the  Missionary  Society  in  the  Dio- 
cese of  New  York,  which  was  the  first  organization  of 
the  kind  in  the  Episcopal  Church  of  America.     With 

44 


In  the  Wilderness  45 

great  fidelity  had  he  worked  on  the  head-waters  of  the 
Delaware  and  Unadilla  rivers  in  Paris  and  Duanes- 
burg. 

His  health  had  failed  and  he  was  now  a  resident  of 
Schenectady.  The  young  deacon,  Rev.  Philander 
Chase,  was  named  in  his  place  as  an  itinerant  mission- 
ary. The  first  baptism  at  which  he  officiated  was  in 
Albany,  and  the  candidate  was,  it  is  said,  Mrs.  Pome- 
roy,  a  sister  of  Fenimore  Cooper.  His  first  sermons 
after  his  ordination  were  in  New  York  City,  Lansing- 
burg,  and  Troy. 

About  this  time  he  wrote  the  following  sentences, 
full  of  true,  humble  sincerity,  which,  in  a  youth  of  his 
age,  glowing  with  life  and  love  and  joyous  hopes,  are 
really  remarkable,  under  these  very  peculiar  circum- 
stances: "The  Church  in  America  was  then  in  her  in- 
fancy, hardly  had  she  begun  to  rear  her  head,  or  make 
her  voice  heard  among  the  daughters  of  Zion :  and  I 
myself  but  a  youth,  the  least  learned  and  experienced 
of  her  ministers.  Instead  of  being  held  up  by  older 
Christian  men,  and  by  the  encouraging  voice  of  numer- 
ous congregations  among  whom  I  might  go  in  and  out, 
I  found  in  reality  no  people  as  yet  'gathered  together ' 
to  bid  me  even  a  welcome.  And  yet  God  was  gracious 
to  me  in  giving  me  favor  among  a  few  faithful  ones, 
who  understood  the  Word  of  God  and  the  doctrine  and 
discipline  of  the  primitive  Church;  and  often  was  I 
called  to  the  great  honor  of  admitting  by  baptism 
many  lambs  into  the  fold  of  Christ,  and  of  planting 
many  scions  in  His  vineyard  which  have  since  borne 
much  fruit." 

Yet,  all  this  time,  he  was  separated  from  his  young 
wife  and  his  two  little  sons,  and  one  must  remember 


46  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

that  in  the  years  of  our  Lord  1798-99  there  was  little 
communication  by  mail  or  otherwise  with  the  then 
wilderness  of  western  and  northern  New  York  and  the 
little  settlements  in  Vermont.  Many,  doubtless,  were 
the  anxious  and  lonely  hours  of  his  young  wife,  his 
parents,  and  brethren. 

From  his  own  record  of  his  early  missionary  work  he 
seems  to  have  been  especially  encouraged  by  friends  in 
Troy.  A  feeling  of  profound  gratitude  is  apparent  in 
his  memorials  of  those  who  generously  helped  him 
onward  in  his  difficult  and  unknown  way.  He  writes: 
"Years  after,  I  met  them  in  other  scenes  with  the  joy 
of  the  weary  traveller  when  suddenly  finding  both  light 
and  shelter." 

And  who  could  more  beautifully  and  sweetly  express 
his  loving-kindness  than  this  man  towards  his  kindred 
and  friends?  Perhaps  this  gracious  quality  is  what  so 
soon  became  a  power,  giving  him  a  charm  for  "all  sorts 
and  conditions  of  men,"  and  enabling  him  to  overcome 
difficulties  which  would  conquer  almost  the  bravest  of 
men  whom  Nature  has  refused  to  endow  with  this  gift. 
The  secret  of  it  was,  then  as  now,  the  utter  absence  of 
self-consciousness  and  the  absorbing  desire  to  bring 
about  the  work  in  hand  in  the  shortest  time  possible. 

From  Troy,  Lansingburg,  and  Waterford,  Mr.  Chase 
proceeded  to  hold  services  at  Stillwater,  Fort  Edward, 
Kingsbury,  and  Lake  George,  also  at  Thurman's 
Patent,  a  country  just  being  settled  west  of  Lake 
George,  where  he  organized  a  parish.  At  Hampton, 
on  the  borders  of  Vermont,  he  remained  several  weeks 
and  organized  a  parish.  Returning  to  Albany  and 
taking  sweet  counsel  with  good  Mr.  Wetmore  at 
Schenectady,  he  went  forward  to  Utica.     On  his  way 


In  the  Wilderness  47 

thither  he  preached  at  a  church  built  for  the  Indians  at 
the  expense  of  the  Venerable  Society  for  the  Propa- 
gation of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts.  He  also 
visited  Johnstown,  where  before  the  Revolution  Sir 
William  Johnson  had  built  a  stone  church,  with  an 
organ,  and  endowed  it  with  a  glebe  for  the  support  of 
a  clergyman.  This  glebe  and  church  had  been  seized 
at  the  time  of  the  war :  the  church  had  been  recovered, 
but  the  glebe  was  then  supporting  a  presbyterian  min- 
ister, while  the  rector  was  barely  supported  by  the  few 
churchmen  remaining  in  the  parish. 

He  also  visited  a  tribe  of  both  Mohawks  and  Onei- 
das,  and  drew  near  their  little  cabins  with  much  pleas- 
ure as  the  snow  was  two  feet  deep,  and  the  wind  swept 
over  the  clearing,  bitterly  cold.  Shenandoah  and  his 
warriors  were  not  at  home,  but  he  found  the  queen 
and  the  queen-mother  and  the  princess  sitting  round 
the  fire  on  a  clean-swept  hearth,  the  smoke  issuing 
from  an  aperture  in  the  roof.  He  was  cheered  with 
the  comfort  of  this  peaceful  dwelling ;  and  as  the  royal 
dames  sat  around  the  boiling  pot,  making  strings  and 
garters,  he  thought  of  King  Alfred  under  similar  cir- 
cumstances. 

This  tribe  of  partly  civilized  Indians  was  afterwards 
removed  to  Duck  Creek,  a  reservation  in  Wisconsin 
(territory),  near  Green  Bay,  and  was  for  a  long  time 
under  the  charge  of  the  Rev.  Solomon  Davis.  It  is  still 
a  very  important  and  large  mission  in  the  Diocese  of 
Fond  du  Lac,  Wisconsin,  with  many  Indian  communi- 
cants. 

Going  onward,  the  young  deacon  reached  Utica, 
then  but  a  small  hamlet.  The  stumps  of  the  forest 
trees  were  yet  standing  in  the  streets,  if  streets  they 


48  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

could  be  termed,  when  scarcely  two  of  them  were 
fenced  out.  Colonel  Walker  received  him  in  a  small 
cottage,  which  he  then  occupied.  It  was  by  this 
gentleman's  encouragement  that  he  succeeded  in 
organizing  a  parish.  Colonel  Walker  was  for  a  long 
period  the  friend  and  secretary  of  Washington,  and  by 
his  aid  this  parish,  the  first  in  that  city,  was  organized 
according  to  the  act  of  legislature  which  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Ellison  had  two  winters  before  drawn  up,  and  procured 
its  passage  through  the  legislature.  The  parish  was 
organized  under  the  name,  "The  Rector,  Wardens, 
and  Vestrymen  of  Trinity  Church,  Utica. " 

Fifty  years  later  the  founder  says:  "Situated  as  this 
little  place  then  was,  when  so  few  things  seemed  per- 
manent, when  there  was  much  coming  and  going,  and 
scarcely  a  plurality  of  persons  acted  and  thought  to- 
gether, this  was  indeed  the  day  of  small  things,  which 
not  being  despised  and  neglected,  God  hath  blessed 
the  means  since  used  with  abler  hands,  till  the  well- 
fenced  fields  are  indeed  white  and  the  harvest  plente- 
ous. Blessed  be  His  Holy  Name  that  I  have  seen  this 
before  I  die." 

Mr.  Chase  then  went  on  to  Paris  in  the  same  county. 
Here  he  found  the  families  of  the  Blakesleys,  the  Sey- 
mours, and  the  Doolittles,  all  of  whom  were  already 
interested  in  the  growth  and  progress  of  the  Church, 
through  the  efforts  of  a  Mr.  Aiken,  a  layman;  and  so 
earnest  had  he  been,  that  a  parish  had  been  formed 
and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wetmore  had  officiated  there  for 
some  time.  The  Doolittle  family  long  after  moved  to 
Wisconsin,  and  were  always  thereafter  faithful  mem- 
bers of  the  church  of  their  fathers. 

To  go  on  with  the  story  of  missionary  work  in  the 


In  the  Wilderness  49 

now  five  great  dioceses  in  New  York,  with  one  mis- 
sionary and  he  a  deacon  not  yet  twenty-four.  This 
was  a  little  more  than  a  hundred  years  ago. 

In  these  chapters  more  or  less  is  quoted  from  Bishop 
Chase's  Reminiscences  (now  long  out  of  print  and  almost 
impossible  to  obtain),  in  order  to  make  a  continuous 
narrative  of  the  immense  work  accomplished  in  this 
field,  a  work  which  is  known  to  few  among  the  hosts 
of  churchmen  now  living.  Here  in  his  early  youth 
Philander  Chase  laid  many  stones  in  the  founding  of 
the  blessed  privileges  which  are  now  so  bountifully  be- 
stowed upon  the  present  generation. 

No  civilized  men  greeted  the  young  missionary  as  he 
passed  through  what  are  now  large  and  busy  cities, 
Salina  and  Syracuse.  There  were  only  two  cabins  to 
be  seen  and  these  were  uninhabited,  as  they  were  used 
for  boiling  salt.  Imagine  the  desolate  picture  in 
winter ! 

Where  Auburn  now  stands  he  remained  for  some 
time.  A  Mr.  Bostwick,  from  Lanesboro,  Massachu- 
setts, had  then  just  moved  hither  with  his  young  and 
interesting  family,  and  was  living  in  a  log  cabin  on  the 
public  road.  Here  divine  service  was  held,  attended 
by  the  settlers  and  their  families,  just  opening  their 
farms  in  the  vicinity.  Many  children  were  baptized, 
including  several  of  the  young  Bostwicks,  so  that  soon 
there  were  many  hearts  interested  in  the  formation  of 
a  regular  parish,  which  took  place  soon  after;  and  it 
was  an  event  particularly  pleasing  to  the  young  deacon, 
as  its  members  were  young  men  of  understanding  and 
earnest  piety. 

It  was  twenty-four  years  after  this  when  the  Bishop 
came  again  to  this  place.     Here   he   found   his   old 


50  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

friend,  Mr.  Bostwick.  A  church  now  occupied  a  spot 
near  the  site  of  the  log  cabin  where  Mr.  Bostwick's 
children  were  baptized,  and  where  the  parish  was 
organized.  There  it  stood  where  the  tall  trees  so 
lately  occupied  the  ground  and  shut  out  the  light  of 
heaven.  It  was  a  beautiful  building,  well  finished, 
with  pews  and  an  organ,  pulpit  and  altar.  "This  is 
the  tree  which  you  planted.  May  it  bear  much  fruit 
for  the  Heavenly  Husbandman,"  said  Mr.  Bostwick  to 
the  Bishop. 

In  the  winter  of  1798-99  the  missionary  visited  Can- 
andahqua,'  as  it  was  called  by  the  Indians,  who  then 
lingered  in  great  numbers,  reluctant  to  leave  this  lovely 
spot,  the  home  of  their  fathers. 

Here  he  was  received  most  kindly  by  the  Hon. 
Moses  Atwater,  Mr.  Sanborn,  and  others.  The  Court 
House  was  then  so  far  finished  as  to  accommodate  a 
congregation.  The  neighbors  and  those  friendly  to 
the  Church  met  for  several  Sundays.  The  result  was 
the  organization  of  a  parish. 

'  Now  Canandaigua. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

WORK   NORTH    AND    SOUTH 

THEN  onward  and  westward  Mr.  Chase  went  to 
Bloomfield  and  Avon  on  the  Genesee  River, — at 
the  latter  place  receiving  much  kindness  from  the 
Hosmer  family.  There  was  then  no  road  except  an 
Indian  trail  through  the  Tonawanda  plains,  unin- 
habited even  to  the  Niagara  River.  Therefore  he  re- 
turned by  the  way  he  came,  visiting  the  parishes  he 
had  formed  at  Canandahqua,  Auburn,  and  Utica,  and 
then  visiting  Mr.  Nash  at  Burlington,  Otsego  County. 

The  young  missionary  gives  a  graphic  sketch  of  the 
self-denying  life  and  work  of  Father  Nash,  who 
touched  his  youthful  heart  with  his  own  spiritual 
strength  and  fervor,  while  living  the  life  of  an  anchor- 
ite with  a  modest  and  quiet  devotion  which  in  after 
years  bore  such  abundant  fruit.     He  says: 

"I  do  not  pretend  to  more  sensibility  than  other 
men,  but  there  was  something  in  the  meeting  of  Mr. 
Nash  and  myself,  peculiarly  suited  to  draw  out  what- 
ever moral  feeling  I  possess.  It  was  a  meeting  of  two 
persons  deeply  convinced  of  the  primitive  and  apos- 
tolic foundation  of  the  Church  and  ministry,  to  which 
on  account  of  its  purity  of  doctrine  and  the  divine 
right  of  its  ministry,  we  had  fled  from  a  chaos  and  con- 
fusion of  sects.     We  were  both  missionaries,  though 

51 


52  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

the  name  was  not  yet  understood  nor  appreciated. 
He  had  given  up  all  his  hopes  of  a  more  comfortable 
living  in  the  well-stored  country  at  the  east,  and  had 
come  to  Otsego  County  to  preach  the  Gospel  and  build 
up  the  Church  on  apostolic  ground,  with  no  assurance 
of  a  salary,  except  such  as  he  might  glean  from  the  cold 
soil  of  unrenewed  nature  or  pluck  from  the  few  scions 
which  he  might  engraft  into  the  Vine,  Christ  Jesus. 
He  lived  not  in  a  tent  like  the  patriarch,  surrounded 
with  servants  to  tend  his  flocks  and  milk  his  kine  and 
'bring  him  butter  in  a  lordly  dish,'  but  in  a  cabin  built 
of  unhewn  logs,  with  scarcely  a  pane  of  glass  to  let  in 
light  enough  to  enable  him  to  read  his  Bible ;  and  even 
this  was  not  his  own,  nor  was  he  permitted  to  live  long 
in  one  at  a  time." 

All  this  was  witnessed  by  the  young  missionary  who 
helped  him  in  a  removal,  holding  one  handle  of  a 
basket  in  which  were  a  few  articles  of  crockery  while 
Father  Nash  held  the  remaining  handle ;  and  as  they 
walked  along  the  road  "they  talked  of  the  things  per- 
taining to  the  Kingdom  of  God."  Seldom  is  a  more 
interesting  picture  drawn  by  the  pen,  or  one  more 
artlessly  and  innocently  given,  than  this  living  and 
breathing  sketch  of  a  scene  in  the  woods,  a  hundred 
years  ago. 

The  Bishop  says  long  after:  "I  cannot  refrain  from 
tears  when  I  recall  the  circumstances  of  that  day. 
This  man,  who  was  afterwards  most  properly  called 
'Father  Nash,'  was  the  founder  of  the  church  in  Otsego 
County,  who  baptized  great  numbers  of  both  adults 
and  children,  and  thus  was  the  spiritual  father  of  so 
many  of  the  family  of  Christ,  and  who  spent  all  his  life 
and  strength  in  toiling  for  their  spiritual  benefit ;  yet 


Work  North  and  South  53 

who  was  at  this  period  so  little  regarded  by  the  Church 
at  large,  and  even  by  his  neighbors,  that  he  had  not 
the  means  to  move  his  small  furniture  from  one  cabin 
to  another,  but  with  his  own  hands,  assisted  by  his 
wife  and  children  and  myself,  accomplished  the  task. 
Well  do  I  remember  how  the  little  cabin  of  one  room 
looked  as  he  entered  it.  Its  rude  door  hung  on  wooden 
hinges  creaking  as  they  turned.  How  glad  he  was  that 
he  had  been  mindful  to  bring  a  few  nails ;  these  he 
drove  into  the  logs  with  good  judgment,  choosing  the 
proper  place  for  his  hat,  his  coat,  and  for  other  gar- 
ments for  his  family.  All  this,  while  his  patient  wife 
was,  with  the  children's  help,  building  a  fire  and  pre- 
paring food  for — whom?  Shall  it  be  said  a  stranger? 
No !  but  for  one  who  by  sympathy  felt  himself  a 
brother  more  than  by  all  the  ties  of  nature,  and  who 
by  this  day's  example  learned  a  lesson  of  inexpres- 
sible value  to  him  for  all  the  days  of  his  life  hereafter." 

Beside  Burlington,  Mr.  Chase  visited  many  other 
places  in  which  Mr.  Nash  had  his  small  congregations, 
among  them  Butternuts  and  Ridgefield.  Thence  he 
proceeded  alone  to  the  Susquehanna,  where,  at  Oc- 
waga,  he  organized  a  parish.  The  two  families  here 
who  were  of  most  assistance  to  him  were  the  Honiston 
and  Harper  families. 

Stamford  on  the  Delaware  River  was  the  next  place 
which  the  missionary  visited.  Here  he  preached  for 
several  Sundays  and  was  kindly  treated  by  the  family 
of  Andrew  Beers,  the  astronomer.  So  interesting  were 
these  people  that  he  was  well-nigh  induced  to  remain 
among  them,  and  with  that  view  contributed  a  hun- 
dred dollars  of  his  small  salary  to  help  in  building  their 
church.     But  Providence  ordered  otherwise. 


54  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

He  then  went  on  to  Freehold,  in  which  was  a  place 
called  Batavia.  Here  a  Mr.  Gunn  was  his  chief  friend 
and  supporter  in  forming  a  parish,  and  many  years 
after  assisted  him  in  a  similar  duty  at  Portsmouth, 
Ohio.  The  few  churchmen  in  Hudson,  Lunenburg 
(now  Athens),  at  New  Lebanon  Springs,  and  in  Put- 
nam County,  were  not  neglected,  so  that  it  was  quite 
autumn  of  the  year  1799  before  Mr.  Chase  reached 
Poughkeepsie,  where,  and  at  Fishkill,  he  was  invited  to 
remain  as  rector  of  the  two  parishes. 

The  Rev.  Philander  Chase  was  ordained  to  the  priest- 
hood in  St.  Paul's  Church,  New  York,  by  the  Rt. 
Rev.  Samuel  Provoost,  on  the  loth  day  of  November, 
1799. 

In  the  beginning  of  his  work  as  a  parish  priest,  Mr. 
Chase,  yet  a  very  young  man,  not  quite  twenty-four, 
naturally  was  greatly  disappointed  that,  on  account  of 
yellow  fever  prevailing  to  an  alarming  extent  in  the 
city  of  New  York,  the  Convention  of  the  Church  was 
not  held  for  two  successive  years,  1798-99.  In  conse- 
quence there  was  no  public  record  of  his  services  as  a 
missionary  during  this  time. 

It  is  more  than  probable  that  not  one  churchman  in 
a  thousand  among  the  rich  and  powerful  parishes  in 
western  New  York  knows  who  it  was  that  laid  these 
foundations  in  the  wilderness  a  hundred  years  ago. 

The  importance  of  missions  in  the  destitute  condi- 
tion of  western  New  York  still  occupied  his  mind, 
although  his  duty  to  his  family  compelled  him  to  re- 
main in  Poughkeepsie.  The  small  missionary  fund 
had  been  exhausted,  even  by  the  moderate  stipend  af- 
forded him  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wetmore,  his  predecessor. 
To  replenish  this  by  appealing  to  his  people  was  at 


Work   North  and  South  55 

once  his  pleasure  and  duty,  and  although  the  contri- 
butions were  limited,  yet  he  never  presented  them  but 
with  an  humble  prayer  that  God  would  bless  the  day 
of  small  things  to  His  glory. 

Following  out  his  youthful  convictions  of  the  im- 
portance of  missions,  there  is  a  fragment  of  a  sermon 
giving  a  simple  record,  the  only  one  extant,  of  the 
work  accomplished  by  the  two  early  missionaries  who 
were  appointed  by  the  Committee  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in 
the  State  of  New  York.  The  sermon  reads:  "A 
canon  was  passed  by  the  convention  of  1796,  that  the 
ministers  of  churches  should  preach  sermons  and  make 
collections  for  the  above  purpose  throughout  the  dio- 
cese, some  time  during  the  month  of  September  in 
each  year.  With  the  fruits  of  the  collections  the  Rev. 
Robert  G.  Wetmore  travelled  in  one  year  2386  miles, 
held  divine  service  and  preached  107  times,  baptized 
47  adults  and  365  infants,  and  distributed  among  the 
poor  and  deserving  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer.  Phi- 
lander Chase,  who  succeeded  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wetmore, 
travelled  above  4000  miles,  baptized  14  adults  and  319 
infants,  held  divine  service  and  preached  213  times, 
and  distributed  many  Prayer  Books  and  Catechisms 
among  those  whose  remote  situations  and  limited 
means  precluded  them  from  any  opportunity  of  being 
otherwise  supplied." 

This  sermon  (a  youthful  one)  on  the  subject  of  mis- 
sions, although  a  fragment  preserved  through  many 
vicissitudes, — a  fire  and  shipwreck  among  them, — is 
such  as  to  awaken  the  drowsy  conscience  of  many  an 
easy-going  churchman  in  this  twentieth  century,  a  hun- 
dred and  four  years  after.    The  young  priest  omitted  to 


56  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

mention  the  fact,  however,  that  in  this  year's  work, 
besides  services  at  many  other  points,  he  organized 
parishes  at  Thurman's  Patent,  near  Lake  George,  at 
Hampton,  near  the  Vermont  line,  at  Utica  (Trinity), 
at  Auburn,  at  Canandaigua,  at  Ocwaga,  at  Batavia, — 
seven  in  number. 

Mr.  Chase's  family  joined  him  in  Poughkeepsie,  but 
the  salary  paid  by  the  combined  parishes  of  that  town 
and  Fishkill  was  not  sufficient  for  his  support  and  that 
of  his  family.  He  therefore  took  charge  of  the  semin- 
ary at  Poughkeepsie.  The  duties  of  so  large  a  school 
and  of  two  growing  parishes  became  almost  insupport- 
able. To  add  to  his  cares,  Mrs.  Chase's  rapidly  failing 
health  made  it  a  matter  of  utmost  need  that  she  should 
seek  a  warmer  climate. 

But  it  was  not  until  the  year  1805  that  the  Bishop  of 
New  York,  having  received  from  New  Orleans  an  in- 
vitation from  the  Protestant  residents  in  that  city  to 
send  them  a  clergyman  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  ap- 
pointed Mr.  Chase  for  the  position.  But  so  uncertain 
were  the  prospects  financially,  and  so  hazardous  was  it 
to  undertake  the  removal  of  his  invalid  wife,  that  he 
decided  to  go  first  himself,  and  return  for  his  family  as 
soon  as  possible. 

Accordingly,  Mr.  Chase  sailed  from  New  York  on 
the  brig  Thetis  in  October,  1805.  Driven  on  the  hard 
sands  which  surround  Riding  Rocks,  and  by  contrary 
currents  across  the  Gulf  Stream  to  the  Florida  shore, 
and  thence  pursuing  the  tedious  course  around  the 
Tortugas,  Mr.  Chase  remarks  that  "the  voyage  was 
most  unpleasant."  He  also  says  that  "nothing  but 
the  kind  treatment  of  the  Captain,  whose  civility,  even 
temper,  and  uncommon  good  sense  were  acknowledged 


Work  North  and  South  57 

by  all  on  board,  could  reconcile  him  to  the  evils  of  a 
first  voyage  at  sea." 

It  is  a  pity  that  the  Captain's  name  is  not  given.  It 
may  be  that  his  passenger  bore  these  evils  so  merrily 
and  was  such  excellent  company,  that  this  prince  of 
captains  was  enabled  to  bear  with  more  than  usual 
"even  temper"  his  share  in  the  mishaps  of  such  a  voy- 
age in  the  windy  month.  However,  the  brig  Thetis  at 
last  reached  the  mouth  of  the  great  river  and  passed  up 
to  the  "  English  Turn"  without  difficulty.  Here  the 
vessel  was  detained,  waiting  for  a  change  of  wind,  and 
to  avoid  delay,  Mr.  Chase  and  a  friend  walked  ten  miles 
up  the  river  to  the  plantation  of  the  Hon.  B —  P — , 
then  Judge  of  the  newly  ceded  city  of  New  Orleans. 
They  were  received  with  the  utmost  kindness,  and  no 
doubt  the  beautiful  garden,  hedged  with  orange  trees 
bending  with  golden  fruit,  and  the  well-managed 
plantation  made  a  delightful  change  for  the  young 
men,  to  which  the  hospitable  welcome  of  a  well-bred 
gentleman  added  a  vivid  charm.  Moreover,  as  he 
says:  "Soon  were  the  courses  marked  out,  and  ways 
and  means  provided  for  the  introduction  of  the  first 
Protestant  minister  who  had  ever  preached  in  Louis- 
iana." 

This  fact  may  seem  to  many  persons  of  little  mo- 
ment, but  in  reality  it  was  an  event  of  great  importance 
in  the  history  of  the  Southern  metropolis,  for,  at  one 
time,  the  names  of  the  first  vestry  and  wardens  of 
Christ  Church,  New  Orleans,  were  not  known,  the 
records  thereof  having  been  destroyed  by  fire  many 
years  before.  Happily,  however,  Mr.  Chase  had  pre- 
served a  copy  of  all  the  papers  concerning  this  import- 
ant event,  and   the   small  box  containing  them  was 


58  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

rescued  many  years  after  from  the  fire  which  destroyed 
his  temporary  home  in  Michigan.  These  memorials 
were  afterward  published  in  his  Reminiscences  in  full, 
and  as  they  contained  information  of  much  importance 
in  the  history  of  the  Church  in  the  Diocese  of  Louis- 
iana, with  much  difficulty  a  copy  of  the  book,  long 
since  out  of  print,  was  procured  and  sent  to  the 
librarian  of  the  Howard  Library  in  the  city  of  New 
Orleans. 

As  these  records  are  too  voluminous  to  be  copied 
here,  it  must  suffice  to  state  the  outlines,  giving  the 
names  of  the  first  wardens  and  vestrymen  of  Christ 
Church,  New  Orleans.  It  might  be  well  to  notice  the 
fact  that  had  the  word  "Protestant"  been  ignored  in 
bringing  about  the  establishment  of  this  parish  in  this 
almost  foreign  city,  peopled  at  that  time  with  an  alien 
population  of  French,  Italian,  and  Spanish  Romanists, 
there  would  scarcely  have  been  a  favorable  result  of  the 
effort  made  by  the  Protestant  citizens  to  effect  an 
organization;  or  had  Mr.  Chase  shown  less  firmness  in 
declining  to  accept  any  call,  unless  it  should  be  made 
according  to  the  canons  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church  in  the  United  States  of  America,  and  providing 
that  the  rector,  until  a  diocese  should  be  formed  in  the 
Territory  of  Louisiana,  should  be  subject  to  the  eccle- 
siastical government  and  direction  of  the  Bishop  and 
Convention  of  the  Diocese  of  New  York  in  all  things 
as  if  he  were  a  presbyter  belonging  to  that  diocese ; 
scarcely  would  it  have  been  possible  to  prevent  imme- 
diate distraction  and  dissolution  in  an  organization 
formed  as  it  was  by  men  of  different  opinions  and  ac- 
customed to  different  forms  of  worship. 

This  required  a  change,  by  act  of  the  New  Orleans 


Work  North  and  South  59 

Legislature,  in  the  former  charter  which  was  given  to 
the  "Protestants"  of  that  city. 

This  change  was  made  in  the  winter  of  1806-07,  and 
thus  the  parish  of  Christ  Church,  New  Orleans,  was 
duly  and  legally  organized.  It  is  now  the  Cathedral 
Church  in  that  city. 

The  Wardens  and  Vestrymen  who  made  the  definite 
call  to  Mr.  Chase  after  the  regular  organization  of  the 
parish  were:  Joseph  Saul,  Andrew  Burk,  Wardens; 
George  T.  Ross,  Richard  Relf,  Charles  Norwood, 
Joseph  McNeil,  John  Sanderson,  William  Kenner, 
Vestrymen  ;  James  Williamson,   Secretary. 

Apropos  to  this,  in  April,  1901,  a  meeting  of  the 
citizens  of  New  Orleans  was  held  to  decide  upon  the 
place  and  circumstances  of  a  reception  to  President 
McKinley.  Mr.  Zacharie  spoke  of  the  fitness  of  hold- 
ing the  function  in  the  Cabildo,  the  Supreme  Court 
building,  on  account  of  its  historic  interest;  he  said: 
"This  ancient  building  has  given  birth  to  twenty-three 
States :  it  is  to  New  Orleans  what  Faneuil  Hall  is  to 
Boston  and  Independence  Hall  to  Philadelphia";  and 
added  that  "the  Cabildo  is  especially  interesting  for 
the  reason  that  in  it  the  first  Protestant  service  was 
held  on  Sunday,  November  17,  1805,  and  that  the 
clergyman  who  conducted  the  service  was  Rev.  Phi- 
lander Chase,  who  afterward  became  the  Bishop  of 
Ohio." 

Mr.  Zacharie  pointed  out  that  a  member  of  President 
McKinley's  Cabinet  was  named  Philander  Chase  Knox, 
and  that  his  son  bore  the  same  name.  He  said  that  it 
was  highly  probable  that  the  Attorney-General  was  a 
kinsman  of  the  same  great  clergyman  who  preached  the 
first  Protestant  sermon  in  New  Orleans,  and  he  thought 


6o  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

the  Cabildo  was  especially  the  proper  place  to  hold  the 
reception. 

The  paper  also  states  that,  "In  the  Louisiana  Gazette 
of  November  15,  1805,  appeared  the  following  notice, 
which  corroborates  what  Mr.  Zacharie  said:  'Divine 
service  will  be  held  in  the  Principal  on  Sunday  next, 
beginning  at  11  o'clock  precisely.' "  In  his  diary  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Chase  jotted  down:  "Those  who  attended 
were  numerous  and  of  the  most  respectable  Americans, 
and  very  decorous  in  their  conduct." 


M 


CHAPTER  IX 

DIFFICULTIES   AND   DANGERS 

R.  CHASE  remained  in  New  Orleans  for  six 
months  before  returning  to  his  home  in  Pough- 
keepsie  for  his  family.  Meantime  he  had  received 
the  assurance  of  a  competent  support  from  the  newly 
organized  parish  of  Christ  Church,  New  Orleans. 

Mrs,  Chase  then  went  with  her  husband  to  bid  adieu 
to  her  parents  and  friends  in  Vermont  and  New  Hamp- 
shire. Yet  so  frail  was  her  condition  and  so  strong 
were  her  impressions  of  her  brief  tenure  of  life,  that 
she  finally  consented  to  leave  both  her  little  sons  with 
their  uncle,  Dudley  Chase,  of  Randolph,  Vermont. 
The  children  were  very  nearly  of  an  age,  George  was 
eight  and  Philander  seven,  interesting  and  beautiful 
little  lads.  Judge  of  the  grief  of  the  mother's  heart 
when  she  bade  them  good-bye,  as  she  feared,  for  the 
last  time  upon  earth. 

From  Randolph,  on  a  hot  summer  day,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Chase  drove  down  the  White  River  Valley  to 
Cornish,  the  home  of  Mr.  Chase's  youth.  Here  were 
more  farewells  to  be  spoken;  then  on  they  went  to 
Hopkinton,  to  the  home  of  his  beloved  brother,  Baruch, 
where  he  baptized  his  two  young  nephews,  and  then 
onward  to  Haverhill,  New  Hampshire,  where  Mrs. 
Chase  was  seized  with  an  alarming  hemorrhage  of  the 

6i 


62  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

lungs.  Fortunately  the  physician's  skill  relieved  her 
from  present  danger  and  the  young  couple  soon  arrived 
at  Boston.  Mr.  Chase  in  his  brief  visit  had  an  oppor- 
tunity of  meeting  with  the  "Johnsonian  Club,"  which 
must  have  been  managed  on  the  plan  of  that  immortal 
genius  whose  name  it  had  taken.  Here  were  met  the 
Elliots,  the  Dexters,  and  the  Warrens  of  that  day. 

September  had  passed  before  the  couple  reached 
New  York.  One  must  bear  in  mind  the  difficulties  of 
travelling  at  that  time.  A  journey  from  Boston  to 
New  York  involved  many  days  of  continuous  coach  or 
wagon  or  horseback  riding  over  rough  roads,  which,  for 
a  delicate,  invalid  woman,  must  have  been  exhausting, 
even  dangerous. 

The  brig  Friendship,  whose  Captain  Mr,  Chase  knew, 
and  which  had  been  selected  for  the  voyage,  was  found 
upon  their  arrival  to  have  cleared  all  ready  for  sea,  and 
he  had  only  time  to  carry  his  invalid  wife  on  board  in 
his  arms,  leaving  all  his  earthly  possessions  to  be 
shipped  on  \}!x^  Polly  Eliza,  the  next  vessel  "up"  for 
New  Orleans,  Mr,  Chase  speaks  of  this  circumstance 
as  providential,  as  the  latter  vessel  was  wrecked,  and 
its  crew  and  passengers  rescued  after  great  suffering  for 
many  days.  The  cargo  was  entirely  lost,  including  all 
of  Mr.  Chase's  goods. 

"Happily  the  sea  air,  in  spite  of  the  great  storm, 
proved  most  beneficial  to  the  invalid,  and  when  the 
ship  approached  a  milder  climate,  she  who  was  so  lately 
languishing  under  the  effect  of  a  wasting  disease,  was 
now  in  fine  spirits,  able  to  comfort  those  who  had  been 
of  late  caring  for  her,  cheering  all  by  her  smiles,  and 
alive  to  the  beauty  and  wonders  of  the  ocean  voyage." 
Upon   arriving   at   New   Orleans   Mr.    Chase  had  the 


Difficulties  and  Dangers  63 

satisfaction  of  knowing  that  his  wife's  health  was 
greatly  improved,  and  he  began  his  sacred  duties 
under  favorable  auspices  and  with  good  courage.  In 
the  meantime  their  household  goods  had  been  already 
destroyed  by  the  shipwreck  of  the  Polly  Eliza. 

It  was  March  before  this  misfortune  was  made 
known  to  Mr.  Chase, — when  he  met  a  little  boy,  a 
former  pupil  in  his  Poughkeepsie  school,  who  was 
wearing  his  own  son's  clothes,  which  had  been  packed 
with  the  expectation  that  one  of  his  little  boys  would 
come  with  his  parents. 

To  explain :  The  brig  Polly  Eliza  had  been  wrecked 
upon  the  shoals  of  Point  Sacco,  the  crew  and  passen- 
gers escaping  to  the  shore.  For  many  days  thereafter 
these  unfortunates  were  kept  alive  by  the  provisions 
made  by  Mr.  Chase  for  his  family,  and  kept  from  per- 
ishing by  cold  by  the  clothing  in  the  boxes  cast  ashore 
by  the  waves.  They  were  rescued  from  their  dan- 
gerous position  by  a  party  of  wreckers  from  Cuba, 
and  finally,  after  months  of  suffering,  brought  to  New 
Orleans. 

Mr.  Chase  lost  his  all — books,  furniture,  maps, 
globes,  provisions,  clothing.  His  purse  was  empty  and 
his  salary  had  been  anticipated  in  expensive  lodgings ; 
he  had  no  resources  from  abroad,  or  in  the  land  whence 
he  came,  for  at  that  time  there  were  no  benevolent  so- 
cieties nor  generous  missionary  aid  to  help  in  such 
serious  disaster. 

Under  God,  he  must  depend  upon  his  own  exer- 
tions. It  was  well  that  Mr,  Chase  was  a  born  teacher. 
He  did  not  lose  any  time  in  idle  regret.  He  hired 
a  small  house,  borrowed  a  little  money,  and  began 
to  receive  pupils.      In  this  undertaking  the  greatest 


64  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

difficulty  was  the  impossibility  of  obtaining  domestic 
service.  Where  all  are  owners  of  slaves,  none  can  keep 
house  without  them.  He  must  own  them  or  hire  them 
from  others.  If  a  man  owned  a  good  servant,  he 
would  not  part  with  him,  and  a  poor  one  was  not 
worth  having.  To  borrow  money  and  purchase  was 
the  only  expedient,  except  to  give  all  up  and  leave  the 
country. 

Aided  by  Mr.  Dow,  afterwards  one  of  the  wardens 
of  the  church,  he  was  able  to  borrow  of  the  bank,  and 
as  his  school  soon  proved  to  be  profitable,  he  was  not 
long  under  indebtedness.  The  negro  Jack  was  bought 
for  $500,  proved  to  be  a  model  servant,  was  put 
into  good  clothes,  waited  upon  the  family  for  three 
months,  and  was  both  modest  and  manly;  then  he 
shipped  himself  upon  the  Thomas  Jefferson,  just  ready 
to  sail  for  Liverpool,  went  with  a  fair  wind  and  swift 
current  down  the  river  and  out  to  sea,  and  was  seen  no 
more  by  Mr.  Chase  or  his  friends.  This,  under  the 
circumstances,  was  a  hard  blow  and  humiliating  as 
well,  but  it  was  not  the  end  of  the  story.  It  was  im- 
possible then  to  predict  that  this  insignificant  event 
would,  long  years  after,  raise  him  from  deep  distress 
and  be  the  means  under  God  of  greatly  benefiting  His 
Church. 

The  school  grew  apace  and  larger  quarters  were  soon 
needed.  It  thus  became  necessary  to  move  into  town. 
While  these  changes  were  in  progress,  a  dear  friend 
proposed  for  the  sake  of  health  and  recreation  an  ex- 
cursion after  Mr.  Chase's  long  confinement  in  school 
and  public  duties.  Therefore,  with  his  hired  servant 
Jim  and  Captain  C,  he  started  gaily  out  in  the 
pleasant  month  of  May,  1808,  for  a  short  trip  across 


Difficulties  and  Dangers  65 

the  lake  to  Bookters  Springs.  No  doubt  the  young 
men  enjoyed  the  bustle  of  providing  the  tent,  cooking 
utensils,  and  provisions  for  this  unusual  picnic  excur- 
sion with  boyish  pleasure, — at  least,  we  hope  so,  in 
view  of  the  denouement  of  the  story. 

With  all  things  needed  to  make  themselves  comfort- 
able, they  passed  through  Bayou  St.  John's  to  the 
Lake  Pontchartrain.  Here,  at  the  military  post  of  St. 
John's,  they  met  with  great  civility  from  the  officers 
and  the  captains  of  the  gun-boats  on  the  lake,  which 
is  really  a  part  of  the  Mexican  Gulf  and  a  beautiful 
sheet  of  water,  abounding  with  excellent  fish. 

From  thence  the  friends  went  on  board  a  small 
schooner  to  the  Tickfaw  River.  A  fine  wind  soon 
carried  them  through  into  Lake  Maurepas,  where  they 
pitched  their  tent  upon  its  shore,  as  the  schooner  could 
take  them  no  farther.  Here  their  pleasure  ended  and 
their  trials  began.  The  story  from  this  time  became 
distressing,  all  owing  to  the  unlooked-for  presence  of 
a  most  disagreeable  person.  Life,  in  all  times  and 
places,  has  people  who  are  especially  intended  by 
nature  and  training  to  be  the  kill-joy  of  society. 

Here  they  were  joined  by  a  friend  of  Captain  C, 
with  his  servant,  who  urged  them  to  change  their  plans 
and  visit  him  at  his  new  plantation.  The  uninvited 
and  disagreeable  guest  joined  in  urging  this  plan,  as  it 
coincided  with  his  desire  to  show  them  his  own  lands, 
and  offered  to  bring  his  horses  to  aid  the  party  on  their 
way  to  Bayou  Barbara,  also  promising  to  pilot  them 
thither  by  a  much  shorter  route  by  help  of  his  com- 
pass. This  person  was  "J."  in  the  story,  and  the 
owner  of  Bayou  Barbara  was  "Mr.  D.,"  who,  strangely 
enough,  although  a  charming  and  cultivated  gentleman, 


66  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

yielded  to  the  offensive  patronage  of  J.  without  pro- 
test. Then  the  order  of  march  was  taken  up, — first, 
the  intruder  J.  on  horseback  with  a  bag  of  Indian 
meal  under  him  and  a  compass  in  his  hand,  then 
Mr.  D.'s  servant  with  a  ham  on  one  shoulder  and  an 
axe  on  the  other,  then  the  hired  yellow  man,  Jim, 
with  a  large  tin  cup,  knife,  and  hatchet,  flint  and 
"spunk"  to  strike  a  fire.  No  matches  in  1806.  The 
rear  was  brought  up  by  Mr.  Chase  on  horseback,  en- 
joying the  pleasant  company  of  Mr.  D.,  who,  with 
rifle  over  shoulder,  walked  by  his  side.  Captain  C. 
had  remained  to  attend  to  his  business  at  Bookters 
Springs. 

It  was  a  delightful  day,  with  no  chilly  spring  wind 
to  mar  the  beauty  and  pleasure  of  the  Southern  scene; 
and  the  self-constituted  guide,  J.,  was  going  fearlessly 
forward,  calling  to  his  followers  that  they  would  soon 
reach  Bayou  Barbara,  when  Mr.  D.  remarked  that  they 
had  already  gone  quite  far  enough  to  have  reached 
Bayou  Barbara.  At  this  J.  seemed  angry  and  laughed 
Mr  D.  to  scorn.  It  soon  occurred  to  Mr.  Chase  that 
J.  did  not  know  the  route  and  that  the  party  had  evi- 
dently lost  its  way,  but  as  the  distance  was  short  the 
situation  was  not  alarming. 

The  day  was  spent  in  this  way,  J.  continually  call- 
ing: "Come  on;  here  we  are,  we  shall  soon  be  there." 
Clouds  now  obscured  the  sun  and  night  was  at  hand. 
The  cry  was :  "We  can  go  no  farther,  here  is  water  and 
we  can  rest  on  the  dry  leaves  of  last  year. "  The  horses 
were  "spancelled"  and  Jim  struck  fire;  dry  limbs  of 
trees  were  collected  and  a  cheerful  fire  soon  "beat  back 
the  darkness"  of  the  Southern  night.  J.  continued 
his  assertions  that  the  morninsr  would  show  them  that 


Difficulties  and  Dangers  67 

all  was  right,  and  he  would  soon  bring  them  into 
Bayou  Barbara. 

Jim,  in  this  emergency,  proved  himself  to  be  the 
"mascot"  of  the  hungry  and  weary  company.  He 
plucked  the  large  leaves  of  the  magnolia,  mixed  the 
Indian  meal  with  water,  and  placing  the  leaves  upon 
the  ground  poured  the  wet  meal  upon  them,  covered 
the  mass  with  more  wet  leaves  and  buried  it  in  the  hot 
coals.  The  bread  after  baking  was  delicious,  and  with 
broiled  ham  made  an  excellent  supper.  Jim  also  pre- 
pared a  sleeping  place  by  stakes  stuck  in  the  ground 
and  others  laid  across  for  branches  of  trees  to  rest 
upon,  leaving  one  side  open  to  the  fire,  so  that  the 
sleepers  could  have  their  feet  to  the  blaze,  while  pro- 
tected from  mosquitoes  by  the  curtain  of  boughs. 
Jim  evidently  knew  his  business,  which  is  more  than 
could  be  said  of  J. 

The  next  morning  the  latter  began  his  work,  and 
addressing  his  oratory  to  Mr.  D.,  seemed  to  get  that 
unlucky  gentleman  completely  in  his  power.  He  held 
the  compass,  he  owned  the  horses,  the  party  was  forced 
to  follow  him.  The  open  woods  were  covered  with 
prickly  briars  and  they  all  suffered  greatly,  their  clothes 
torn  and  their  exposed  skins  trickling  with  blood. 

Thus  the  miserable  day  wore  on ;  the  only  comfort 
was  to  cheer  their  parched  throats  with  sweet  black- 
berries, which  in  this  semi-tropical  land  were  ripe  in 
early  May.  Mr.  D.  was  apparently  bewildered  by 
fatigue  and  hunger,  and  more  than  ever  under  the 
power  of  J.  It  was  middle  afternoon  when  the  weary 
party  came  to  a  windfall  of  trees,  where  the  horses 
were  jumped  over  some  large  logs,  and  this  proved  a 
fortunate  incident. 


68  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

Going  on  farther  into  open  ground,  poor  Mr.  D.  and 
the  servants  sat  down  in  despair.  J.  mounted  his 
horse  and  rode  off  in  search  of  "Cow  Bluff,"  a  place 
of  which  nobody  had  ever  heard.  Mr.  Chase  made 
himself  the  keeper  of  the  compass  for  a  short  time,  and 
meantime  took  a  solemn  vow  never  to  surrender  it;  in 
fact,  he  determined  to  obey  the  "spirit"  and  not  the 
"letter"  of  the  law  in  this  present  emergency. 

To  do  this  effectually  he  must  win  the  confidence  of 
poor  Mr.  D. — how?  What  man  could  not  achieve  the 
good  providence  of  God  effected  and  that  very  soon. 
Mr.  Chase's  coat  was  torn  into  tatters,  but  in  one  of 
the  pockets  he  found  a  sheet  of  paper  and  a  pencil. 
His  memory  kept  the  direction  of  their  wanderings 
through  the  country  where  they  were  so  unhappily  be- 
wildered, and  their  present  position  between  the  Amit^ 
and  Tickfaw ;  and  by  asking  questions  of  Mr.  D.  and 
the  servants,  he  succeeded  in  making  a  rough  draft  of 
their  track,  and  found  that  they  had  passed  the  source 
of  Bayou  Barbara  twenty  miles  behind. 

To  this  Mr.  D.  assented,  and  also  agreed  with  Mr. 
Chase  that  their  hope  was  now  to  steer  directly  for  the 
Amit6  River  and  then  follow  it  down  to  Mr.  D.'s 
plantation.  At  this  juncture  the  inevitable  marplot 
appeared  flushed  with  confidence,  immediately  propos- 
ing a  plan  exactly  contrary  to  that  of  Mr.  Chase,  for 
he  "now  knew  where  they  were,  and  they  would  soon 
be  extricated  from  all  their  difficulties." 

"Mr.  J.,"  said  Mr.  Chase,  "will  you  kindly  look  at 
this  map?"  He  did  so,  but  had  no  confidence  in  it 
and  declared  that  to  proceed  in  that  direction  would 
be  to  go  back  the  way  they  came.  "Not  so,"  said 
Mr,  Chase,  "for  we  came  in  that  direction,"  pointing 


Difficulties  and  Dangers  69 

to  the  fallen  trees  over  which  the  horses  had  just  been 
jumped. 

This  J.  flatly  denied,  and  there  was  nothing  left 
but  to  appeal  to  the  evidence  of  sight ;  but  on  the  way 
to  the  place  poor  Mr.  D.  sat  down  in  despair,  saying 
that  he  presumed  J.  was  right  and  that  he  would  trust 
everything  to  him.  Stung  by  this  evidence  of  weak- 
ness, Mr.  Chase  insisted  that  J.  should  follow  him,  and 
when  the  tracks  of  the  horses  and  also  the  footprints 
of  the  men  were  plainly  seen,  Mr.  Chase  said  in  no 
very  mild  tones:  "Are  you  convinced  that  you  were 
wrong,  and  that  I  was  right?"  "Yes,"  J.  replied. 
"Then  will  you  own  to  Mr.  D.  that  you  were  mis- 
taken?" "No."  "But  you  must."  "I  will  never 
own  that  I  have  been  wrong."  This  was  followed  by 
a  fusillade  of  oaths  and  abuse.  Here  Mr.  Chase 
naively  remarks  that  "happily  no  blows  were  neces- 
sary, but  that  nothing  but  the  expectation  of  instant 
chastisement  brought  him  to  reason."  It  was  prob- 
ably about  this  time  that  Mr.  Chase  was  taking  off 
what  was  left  of  his  coat.  J.  yielded  to  the  inevitable, 
cooled  down,  owned  his  error,  promised  to  tell  Mr. 
D.,  and  agreed  that  Mr.  Chase  should  carry  the  com- 
pass. 

The  weak  nerves  of  Mr.  D.  were  braced  by  this 
time,  and  the  wanderers  prepared  with  some  courage 
to  spend  another  night  in  the  dreary  wilderness.  Jim 
improvised  a  shelter  from  the  impending  thunder- 
storm ;  they  scraped  the  bone  of  the  ham,  and  baked 
a  little  meal. 

The  next  morning  they  struck  upon  the  track  of  a 
human  being,  and  soon  came  to  a  deserted  Indian 
camp,  and  shortly  afterwards  to  the  bank  of  a  stream 


70  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

which  Mr.  D.  said  was  not  the  Amit^.  Here  they 
found  the  remains  of  a  dwelling,  and  as  they  supposed 
the  stream  was  a  branch  of  the  Amit6,  they  proposed 
to  build  a  raft  to  float  them  thither.  Finding  that  the 
cypress  logs  were  too  much  decayed,  this  plan  was  im- 
possible, and  they  gave  up  in  weary  despair,  hungry 
and  fainting.  One  of  the  party  suggested  that  pos- 
sibly human  beings  might  answer  to  a  signal ;  accord- 
ingly the  rifle  was  loaded  as  heavily  as  it  would  bear, 
and  some  one  gave  a  loud  whoop. 

After  the  third  repetition  there  was  a  distinct  reply. 

At  length,  after  a  hush  of  beating  hearts  and  strained 
nerves,  from  around  a  point  of  great  trees,  borne  on 
two  pieces  of  logs,  came  their  deliverer.  After  the 
first  joy,  questions  were  asked  and  answered :  they 
found  they  were  fifty  miles  from  Bayou  Barbara,  a  mile 
from  the  Amit^  River,  and  ten  miles  from  Galveston. 
Three  of  the  party  embarked  on  the  log  raft,  their 
new-found  friend  went  back  for  the  servants,  and  the 
horses  were  left  to  feed  on  the  fresh  grass  in  the  clear- 
ing. 

They  found  that  the  kind  man  who  had  rescued  them 
was  himself  in  a  sore  strait.  After  bringing  this  large 
party  of  hungry  men  into  his  home,  which  was  a  mere 
tent  covered  with  palmetto  leaves,  he  said  his  provi- 
sions were  almost  gone,  a  sick  child  was  on  the  bed 
made  of  tul6  reeds,  and  his  wife  had  gone  for  food  and 
medicine  for  the  child.  There  was  nothing  to  do  but 
to  go  on  to  the  next  house.  He  said  as  they  left: 
"You  will  have  to  cross  or  wade  up  to  your  waist  in 
the  bayou,  and  as  it  is  growing  dark,  you  must  each 
light  a  piece  of  candle-wood,  of  which  I  have  plenty, 
and  keep  close  together,  holding  up  your  torches,  and 


Difficulties  and  Dangers  71 

the  alligators  will  be  frightened  and  will  not  touch 
you,"  "How  far  is  it  across  the  bayou?"  said  one. 
"Not  more  than  forty  yards;  there  are  some  deep 
holes,  but  none  above  the  midriff."  Dismal  comfort 
this ! 

A  trail  led  them  to  the  bayou !  Now  then !  The 
waters  were  black  as  ink,  and  the  shadowy  trees  height- 
ened the  ghastly  effect  under  the  fitful  glare  of  the 
torches.  Not  to  linger  over  the  fearful  plunge, — in 
they  went !  The  water,  dark  and  slimy,  creeping  to 
their  hips,  then  to  the  breasts  of  the  tallest,  and  now 
the  snorting  of  the  alligators  and  the  shrieks  of  the 
company  added  to  the  horror  of  the  adventure.  But 
they  got  across,  though  in  a  pitiable  plight,  much  the 
worse  for  wear.  Happily  they  found  food  and  shelter, 
a  good  supper,  and  a  clean  bed  of  corn  husks  at  Mr. 
Bowser's. 

Meantime  Captain  C,  having  transacted  his  busi- 
ness at  Bookters  Springs,  returned  to  Rome ;  finding 
neither  his  friend  nor  Mr.  Chase  there,  he  became 
alarmed  for  their  safety.  A  large  party  was  to  start 
out  the  following  morning  for  their  relief,  when 
happily  they  returned,  in  a  state  better  imagined  than 
described. 

Mr.  Chase  seems  to  reflect  upon  this  unfortunate 
outing  as  only  an  "ideal"  and  not  a  real  pursuit  of 
health,  and  to  regret  that  outside  of  his  duty  he  had 
sought  pleasure  and  change  which  he  should  not  have 
done. 

Had  he  found  the  rest  and  refreshment  which  he 
doubtless  needed,  he  might,  in  his  future  life  of  strenu- 
ous and  all-absorbing  work,  have  given  more  time  to 
recreation,  and  to  the  enjoyment  of  the  society  of  those 


72  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

who  loved  him  and  would  gladly  have  soothed  him 
into  rest. 

The  truth  is  that  he  never,  after  this,  spent  an  hour 
for  pleasure  only  in  all  his  life.  But  for  all  that,  no 
man's  presence  was  more  genial  or  more  eagerly  sought. 


CHAPTER  X 

FROM  SOUTH   TO  NORTH 

ONE  incident  occurred  during  Mr.  Chase's  six 
years'  residence  in  New  Orleans  which  cannot 
be  passed  over,  as  in  itself  it  is  interesting,  and  in  the 
later  life  of  the  Bishop  it  proved  a  providential  help  to 
him  in  a  crisis. 

To  quote  directly  from  the  Reminiscences: 
"While  living  below  the  city  of  New  Orleans,  two 
gentlemen,  Messrs.  Leonard,  the  one  a  druggist,  the 
other  a  commission  merchant,  were  residents  of  that 
city.  The  former  came  to  me  and  told  me  that  his 
brother  had  received  a  consignment  of  a  large  cargo  of 
negroes  from  the  slave  coast  of  Africa,  and  felt  it  his 
duty  to  take  the  best  care  of  them  in  his  power,  now 
that  the  business,  against  his  will  and  expectation,  had 
been  thrown  upon  his  hands.  Some  of  them  were 
even  now  in  a  perishing  state,  and  two  of  them  must 
die  unless  removed  immediately  and  carefully  nursed; 
and  his  object  in  coming  to  me  was  to  ask  me  to  allow 
these  poor  creatures  to  find  a  shelter  in  my  kitchen. 
[This  it  is  presumed  was  an  outside  building,  as  is 
customary  during  the  summer  in  hot  climates.]  This 
proposal  was  immediately  assented  to,  and  one  end  of 
the  servants'  quarters  became  a  hospital.  Being  care- 
fully and  kindly  nursed  by  the  family,  one  of  these 

73 


74  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

poor  fellow-beings  was  saved  from  death ;  the  other, 
after  lingering  long,  died.  A  coffin  was  made  for  him 
by  the  hired  servant  Jim;  a  grave  was  dug  in  the  land 
adjoining;  and  my  family  saw  the  poor  exile  buried, 
believing  that  his  soul  was  as  precious  in  God's  sight 
as  that  of  any  other  human  being." 

How  these  events  could  be  represented  as  a  sin  and 
urged  as  an  objection  to  the  consecration  of  Mr.  Chase 
as  a  Christian  Bishop  will  be  hereafter  shown. 

The  school,  which  Mr.  Chase  had  founded  under  the 
stress  of  strong  necessity,  had  by  this  time  become 
an  important  feature  for  good  in  the  lives  of  the  youths 
of  that  important  Southern  city.  Few  at  this  day 
can  estimate  the  value  of  such  instruction  as  this 
earnest  man  could  give,  in  these  days  of  his  youth  and 
strength.  He  says,  apropos  of  this  subject:  "After 
the  school  removed  to  the  city  and  commenced  under 
very  favorable  circumstances,  many  from  town  pressed 
into  it  and  not  a  few  from  the  country  and  towns  up 
the  river,  — the  Dunbars,  the  Geraults  from  the  Natchez, 
the  Sterlings  and  the  Barrows  from  Bayou  Sara,  and  the 
Percys  and  the  Evanses  from  Pinkneyville  and  Fort 
Adams,  all  of  the  best.  The  church  also  flourished; 
the  congregations  were  large  and  the  number  of  com- 
municants increased." 

The  school  still  increasing,  Mr.  Chase  was  obliged  to 
find  larger  quarters  in  the  buildings  of  M.  La  Branch, 
Tchoupitoulas  Street,  then  the  Levee  in  the  Faubourg 
St.  Mary.  While  he  was  conducting  this  school  he 
spent  some  of  the  most  laborious  years  of  his  life, 
and  probably  some  of  the  most  useful.  He  says  in  his 
Reminiscences:  "While  discharging  his  duty  as  Rector 
of  the  church,  in  visiting  the  sick,  and  in  burying  the 


From  South  to  North  75 

dead,  the  writer,  as  he  humbly  trusts,  was  laying  the 
foundation  of  Christian  education  in  some  of  the  best 
families  in  New  Orleans  and  throughout  Louisiana. 
Should  any  of  his  pupils  ever  chance  to  cast  their  eyes 
on  this  little  book,  let  them  be  assured  that  although 
these  words  are  written  with  a  hand  trembling  with 
age,  his  heart  still  beats  for  them  with  warm  affection, 
and  his  prayers  still  ascend  for  blessings  on  them  and 
their  offspring." 

The  teacher  and  the  scholars,  and  many  of  their 
children,  are  all  "gone  away  into  the  world  of  light" ; 
— let  us  believe  that  they  are  now  enjoying  their  lives, 
renewed  by  the  Holy  Spirit ,  in  a  higher  and  better  way, 
"as  the  eternal  years  of  God  are  theirs," 

In  these  days  one  can  scarcely  imagine  the  magni- 
tude of  the  work  accomplished  by  this  one  man  in 
those  six  years  of  unremitting  toil  in  such  a  city  as 
New  Orleans  then  was.  It  was  not  that  New  Orleans 
was  then  or  is  now  an  unhealthful  city.  Statistics  prove 
quite  to  the  contrary,  but  also  then  as  now,  the  yellow 
fever  at  certain  periods  found  its  victims  there  as  in 
other  Southern  cities,  and  at  that  time  even  in  New 
York.  In  one  of  these  years  it  found  and  reaped  a 
great  harvest  in  New  Orleans.  Mr.  Chase  fell  ill  and 
became  convinced  that  upon  the  fatal  eleventh  day  the 
use  of  porter  at  the  critical  hour  saved  his  life. 

It  is  certain  that  in  his  arduous  duties  he  never 
faltered,  and  it  must  be  owned  even  now,  ninety-two 
years  after,  that  here  as  a  young  man  he  laid  the 
foundations  wide  and  strong  of  Christian  education  in 
church  and  home  in  the  Diocese  of  Louisiana. 

But  imperious  duty,  in  regard  to  the  education  of 
his  young  sons  left  with  their  uncle  in  Vermont,  called 


76  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

him  back  to  the  North.  Mrs.  Chase  had  found  the 
Southern  chmate  of  great  benefit  to  her  health,  and 
now,  with  a  mother's  longing,  desired  to  return  to  her 
children,  who  were  growing  to  manhood, — fourteen 
and  thirteen  years  of  age. 

In  his  last  address  to  his  pupils  upon  his  departure, 
Mr.  Chase  used  the  following  tender  words:  "Sweet 
have  been  the  hours  I  have  passed  with  you,  and  grate- 
ful is  my  remembrance  of  them.  Many  of  you  have 
waxed  strong  and  come  from  childhood  to  youth  and 
from  youth  to  maturity  under  my  care.  During  this 
period  I  call  you  to  witness  how  often  and  how  earn- 
estly I  have  exhorted  you  to  do  your  duty  to  God. 
Let  memories  of  these  instructions  come  often  to  your 
minds;  so  far  as  you  find  them  to  accord  with  the 
sacred  Word  of  God,  let  them  be  imprinted  upon  your 
hearts,  bear  you  company  in  your  walks  by  day  and 
follow  you  to  your  pillow  at  night.  Remember  the 
sum  and  substance  of  your  instruction, — that  religion 
is  the  chief  thing,  that  to  this  every  branch  of  science 
should  aim,  and  without  this  the  wisest  man,  in  the 
eye  of  his  Maker,  is  but  a  fool.  Thus  will  you  become 
the  blessing  of  your  day  and  generation,  models  for 
others  to  imitate  when  your  lives  are  ended.  So  to 
do,  and  so  to  be  rewarded,  may  God  grant  you  a 
double  portion  of  His  Spirit  through  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord. 

"It  now  remains  for  me  to  say  to  the  congregation 
what  I  may  never  have  the  opportunity  again  to  say : 
My  brethren,  farewell!  I  go  from  you,  but  wherever 
I  am  I  shall  remember  to  my  dying  day  your  many 
instances  of  kindness  to  me.  May  God  reward  you 
with  choicest  blessings!     May  He  build  up  the  walls 


From  South  to  North  "j^ 

of  Jerusalem  which  He  has  planted  here.  May  He 
people  the  city  with  Israelites  indeed,  so  that  when  the 
great  day  of  accounts  shall  come,  many  who  come 
from  hence  may  go  into  the  state  of  blessedness." 

There  is  no  record  of  the  journey  to  the  North.  It 
may  be  taken  for  granted  that  it  was  accomplished 
as  before,  by  means  of  some  sailing  vessel  from 
New  Orleans  to  New  York,  as  steamboats  were  not 
then  in  use  on  the  Mississippi  or  elsewhere.  Mr. 
Chase  says  that  the  sons  so  long  separated  from  their 
parents  were  reunited  with  them  at  the  home  of  their 
uncle  Dudley,  in  Randolph,  Vermont,  and  they  had 
great  pleasure  in  seeing  their  growth  in  stature  and  im- 
provement in  mind.  They  were  handsome,  interesting, 
and  intelligent  lads,  and  already  well  advanced  in  their 
studies. 

It  was  a  subject  of  great  regret  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Chase  that  there  was  no  church  in  Randolph  or  in 
Bethel,  where  many  of  the  kindred  resided.  Here  it 
was  that  in  Mr.  Chase's  early  youth  he  had  taught 
school,  read  prayers,  and  after  his  ordination  preached 
to  the  faithful  few  of  his  relatives,  and  here  he  was 
married  to  his  young  wife,  the  mother  of  his  children. 
He  would  gladly  have  remained,  but  wishing  to  give 
these  promising  sons  the  benefit  of  the  best  education 
possible,  he  went  with  his  family  to  Cheshire,  Connec- 
ticut, where  he  met  the  Rev.  Dr.  Tillotson  Bronson, 
even  then  eminent  as  an  educator. 

Here  he  immediately  began  housekeeping;  the  boys 
were  placed  at  school,  the  family  was  settled,  and  the 
lads  were  safely  cared  for  by  a  "teacher  pious  without 
fanaticism,  learned  without  pedantry,  strict  and  primi- 
tive without  bigotry,  and  withal  an  honest,  upright 


78  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

man  who  feared  God  and  eschewed  evil."  Such  a 
picture  painted  in  Bishop  Chase's  own  vivid  words 
gives  to  the  modern  mind  almost  an  impossible  being. 
One  man  came  in  his  short  life  very  near  to  this  type, 
yet  it  pleased  God  to  take  him  suddenly  away  in  the 
midst  of  his  years  and  at  the  height  of  his  usefulness. 
This  was  the  Rev.  Dr.  James  De  Koven,  of  Racine 
College. 

The  home  in  Cheshire  seemed  to  be  a  haven  of  rest 
for  Mr.  Chase.  He  spent  his  Sundays  in  Hartford, 
where  he  eventually  removed  as  rector  of  Christ 
Church.  In  that  city  for  a  brief  period  he  seemed  to 
taste  the  genial  pleasures  of  such  society  as  pleased 
his  taste  and  encouraged  his  hopes  for  his  sons,  with 
their  mother  in  the  sweet  home  life  now  made  possible 
for  them  to  enjoy.  Mr.  Chase  always  described  this 
period  of  his  life  as  his  "day  of  sunshine." 

In  the  Reminiscences,  he  thus  speaks  of  these  years : 
"In  the  fall  of  1811,  I  was  with  uncommon  felicity  to 
myself  fixed  as  rector  of  Christ  Church,  Hartford. 
My  residence  in  this  city  continued  until  1817.  Dur- 
ing this  time  the  number  of  the  faithful  greatly  in- 
creased. The  attendance  at  the  Lord's  Table  from  a 
very  few  became  a  large  number.  I  rejoiced  to  see 
the  blessed  effects  of  the  Gospel  of  Peace,  and  the 
many  examples  of  fruitful  and  holy  life.  In  the  bosom 
of  an  enlightened  society,  softened  by  the  hand  of 
urbanity  and  kindness,  my  enjoyments,  crowned  with 
abundance  of  temporal  blessings,  were  as  numerous  and 
refined  as  belong  to  the  lot  of  man.  Of  the  time  I 
spent  in  this  lovely  city  I  can  never  speak  in  ordinary 
terms.  It  is  to  my  remembrance  as  a  dream  of  more 
than  terrestrial  delight.     Of  its  sweets  I  tasted  for  a 


CHRIST  CHURCH,  HARTFORD,  CONN.,   1792-1829.       Page  78. 


From  South  to  North  79 

while  and  thought  myself  happy,  but  God,  who  would 
train  His  servants  more  by  the  reality  of  suffering  than 
by  ideal  and  transitory  bliss,  saw  fit  to  direct  my 
thoughts  to  other  and  more  perilous  duties." 

During  the  time  of  the  rectorship  of  Christ  Church, 
Hartford,  occurred  the  death  of  Dudley  Chase  and  his 
wife  Allace,  the  father  and  mother  of  Mr.  Chase,  the 
former  at  the  age  of  eighty-six  and  the  latter  eighty- 
one.  They  had  lived  together  sixty-one  years,  and  had 
been  the  parents  of  fifteen  children,  fourteen  of  whom 
had  grown  to  mature  years.  From  the  moment  of  the 
death  of  the  wife  and  mother  in  the  year  1814,  the 
father,  who  survived  eight  months  after  his  wife's 
death,  conceived  himself  away  from  home  and  would 
frequently  and  urgently  entreat  his  children  to  carry 
him  home  to  his  dear  wife,  and  yet  would  go  to  her 
grave  and  with  perfect  calmness  speak  of  her  with 
tender  words  of  affection.  When  asked  what  he  would 
have  inscribed  upon  her  tombstone,  he  replied,  "This 
is  the  way  to  Immortality"  ;  and  when  he  himself  died, 
and  was  buried  by  her  side,  his  children  had  inscribed 
over  his  grave  these  words  from  his  favorite  author 
from  whose  poems  (which  he  could  repeat  almost  in 
their  entirety)  he  had  selected  the  Christian  name  of 
his  son ; 

An  angel's  arm  can't  snatch  me  from  the  grave, 
Legions  of  angels  can't  confine  me  there. 

Mr.  Chase  further  says  of  this  place,  which  he  visited 
last  in  the  summer  of  1840:  "There  they  both  lie  in 
the  churchyard  at  Cornish.  The  evergreen  pine  trees 
grow  round  the  enclosure,  and  the  wind  as  it  blows 
through  the  branches  reminds  one  of  the  breath  of  God 


8o  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

by  which  the  dead  shall  be  revived  and  quickened  ac- 
cording to  the  promise  of  the  Saviour,  by  the  prophet. 
"  'Thy  dead  men  shall  live;  together  with  my  dead 
body  shall  they  arise !  Awake  and  sing ;  ye  that  dwell 
in  the  dust,  for  thy  dew  is  as  the  dew  of  herbs,  and 
the  earth  shall  cast  out  the  dead.'  " 


L 


CHAPTER  XI 

HOME-LIFE   IN   HARTFORD 

ETTER  written  by   Philander  Chase  to  his  two 
young  sons  at  school : 


"  Hartford,  Dec.  i6,  1812, 

"My  dear  SONS: 

"We  were  very  glad  to  see  Mrs.  Beach  and  to  receive 
your  letters  by  them.  Phil'rs.  shoes  I  have  engaged 
and  they  will  be  sent  by  Mr.  Beach.  The  watch,  I, 
this  morning  carried  to  be  mended  and  regulated — I 
fear  more  time  will  be  required  to  this  end,  than  to 
have  it  in  my  power  to  send  it  by  this  opportunity :  as 
soon  as  it  is  done,  you  shall  have  it. 

"I  am  happy  to  hear,  dear  George,  that  you  are 
admitted  to  the  society  of  young  men  associated  for 
religious  improvement :  This  however  is  in  the  full 
trust  that  there  will  be  no  food  for  vanity  in  extempo- 
raneous effusions  on  the  solemn  subjects  of  our  Holy 
Faith.  If  ever  there  should  be  anything  of  this  na- 
ture, I  enjoin  it  upon  you  to  give  me  early  notice,  and 
from  that  moment  you  must  withdraw. 

"I  hope,  Geo.,  that  you  keep  your  mind,  as  often  as 
occasion  permits,  on  the  subject  of  the  Holy  Eucharist 
and  that  you  inseparably  join  Devotion  with  all  your 
inquiries.     Nothing  would  give  me  more  pleasure  than 

6 

81 


82  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

to  hear  you  and  Philander  make  good  progress  in  this 
bounden  duty  and  that  your  hearts  accompany  your 
faith,  as  the  Soul,  the  body.  Next  Easter,  should  it 
please  God,  and  your  requirements  be  adequate  and 
your  conduct  worthy,  I  shall  admit  you  to  the  partici- 
pation of  that  Heavenly  Sacrifice  thro'  which  is  the 
forgiveness  of  sins  and  Eternal  Life.  To  this  end  may 
God  bless  all  that  you  do. 

"And  dear  boys,  let  me  say  something  to  you  of  the 
pleasure  which  the  news  of  your  good  conduct,  brought 
by  Mr.  Beach,  gave  me.  Never  can  I  be  too  thankful 
that  you  preserve  and  exercise  the  principles  of  Honor 
and  Truth  and  that  you  keep  your  minds  and  bodies 
from  the  pollutions  of  a  wicked  world.  This  as  to  the 
main  things,  I  trust  is  the  case.  But  George,  I  do  not 
like  the  smoking  habits  of  a  boy  of  15,  especially  after 
what  has  passed  between  you  and  your  ever  hon'd 
mother. 

"Be  above  board  in  all  you  do — while  you  are  young 
learn  to  submit  to  the  wishes  of  those  who  have  a  right 
to  command  and  who  love  you.  Should  this  not  be 
sufificient,  you  will  hear  from  me  again. 

"Mr.  Imlay  and  family  and  Mrs.  Glover  and  Mrs. 
Sigourney  often  mention  you  with  much  affection  as 
do  many  others. 

"I  have  filled  my  paper — should  anything  more 
occur,  I  shall  give  it  to  you  in  a  post-script.  In  the 
meantime,  ever  be  assured  of  my  love,  my  prayers  and 
my  constant  exertions  to  promote  your  happiness. 

"May  God  ever  have  you  in  His  Holy  keeping. 

"Philr.  Chase." 

From  George  Chase,  a  boy  of  sixteen,  to  his  cousin, 
Intrepid  Morse,  describing  life  at  Hartford : 


Home-Life  in   Hartford  S^ 

"  Hartford,  April  30th,  1814. 

"Dear  Cousin  Intrepid: 

"You  can  scarce  conceive  of  the  pleasure  I  felt, 
when  I  beheld  the  tall  spires  of  Hartford  and  the  cloud 
of  smoke  that  rose  from  her  buildings.  'Away  with 
care  and  melancholy'  was  the  expression  I  made  as  I 
jumped  from  the  stage  before  our  door.  Our  family 
were  all  well  and  very  glad  to  see  me.  Grandmother 
has  gone  to  Vermont  to  see  Aunt  Batchelor,  who  is 
dangerously  ill.  Our  respected  ancestor  Grandpa  died 
on  the  13th  of  the  month.  Thus  we  drop  off,  one  after 
the  other,  till  all  with  whom  we  are  now  enjoying  life 
(or  rather  enduring  her  miseries)  shall  be  forgotten, 
beneath  the  turf.  Our  fathers  where  are  they?  and  do 
the  prophets  live  forever? 

"Uncle  Dudley  returned  this  way  from  Congress  and 
we  spent  two  days  very  agreeably  together.  As  to 
politics,  he  is  very  much  altered,  instead  of  hitching 
that  into  conversation  everywhere,  he  is  modest  and 
silent.  Disgusted  with  the  slave  holders  and  company 
of  the  South,  he  spoke  with  rapture  of  beholding  the 
streets  here  crowded  with  white  people  and  rosy 
healthy  children,  issuing  from  school.  No  slaves  are 
here  forced  to  lift  the  heavy  burden,  to  feel  the  lash  of 
the  negro  driver,  or  know  that  they  are  bound  to 
sweat  for  another  until  their  labors  and  their  life  shall 
be  finished  by  death.  Never  did  Uncle  Dudley  appear 
so  great  and  so  noble  as  at  present.  His  ingenuous 
confessions  have  endeared  him  to  me  more  than  ever. 

"The  Church  still  increases  and  it  affords  us  sincere 
delight  to  observe  people  once  so  violently  opposed  to 
her  ordinances  returning  like  the  prodigal  son,  to  their 
duty.     .     .     .     Mr.   Root  and  Mr.   Huntington,  two 


84  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

young  men,  the  pupils  of  Parson  Flint  in  the  lan- 
guages, came  to  Church  one  Sunday  out  of  pure 
motives  of  curiosity.  They  were  astonished  at  the 
Beauty  of  Holiness  there  displayed,  as  they  afterward 
told,  and  returned  to  the  synagogue  no  more  (Cheshire 
Meeting  House).  Huntington  I  am  particularly  pleased 
with,  for  he  is  a  brother  bard.  '  Birds  of  a  feather  flock 
together.' 

"On  Sunday  evenings  we  used  to  have  meetings  at 
our  house,  composed  principally  of  Church  people. 
To  these  father  gave  such  advice  as  was  proper,  or  read 
one  of  Jones's  lectures,  or  some  other  good  book. 
One  evening  unfortunately  I  fell  asleep  owing  to  my 
infirm  state  of  health.  Father  pointed  to  me  before 
the  whole  company,  in  which  was  the  long  loved  C.  I 
was  mortified  (in  the  usual  way  of  expressing  it)  to 
death,  but  my  dear  mother  came  up  with  her  reserve 
of  excuses  and  secured  my  retreat  into  the  other  room. 
They  have  since  changed  the  meetings  to  the  Church, 
where  father  preaches  a  sermon  of  his  own.  The 
exertion  of  writing  and  delivering  three  a  week  almost 
overcomes  him. 

"I  have  been  to  the  Holy  Communion  three  times 
since  my  return.  I  find  it  of  great  and  inestimable 
use  to  turn  my  thoughts  and  affections  toward  Heaven 
and  inspire  me  to  do  good." 

"  May  3rd. 

"The  celebrated  and  the  charming  Mrs.  Emily 
Phillips  has  favored  us  with  her  company  two  or  three 
weeks  since  I  have  been  home.  She  displayed  her 
books,  her  writings  and  various  collections  for  our 
amusement,  but  the  greatest  was  the  display  of  her 


Home-Life  in   Hartford  85 

own  lively  talents.  The  more  I  am  acquainted  with 
her,  the  more  I  admire  her  extraordinary  talent  and 
taste.  The  Nine  seem  to  accompany  her,  for  one 
evening  when  the  fire  blazed  cheerfully  and  every  face 
was  illumined  with  smiles,  the  whole  family  struck 
their  harps,  and  such  sweet  music  never  was  heard 
since  the  days  of  Orpheus  and  Eurydice.  In  short  we 
all  turned  poets.  The  method  of  writing  was  this, 
each  one  wrote  a  verse  upon  some  subject  and  doubling 
the  paper  down  passed  it  to  the  rest.  Therefore  with 
your  kind  permission  I  will  transcribe  a  few.  My  own 
I  shall  carefully  conceal  for  conscience  sake.  Philander 
was  considered  passionately  fond  of  Ally  Painter,  now 
gone  to  her  home  in  Middlebury,  Vermont  and  Orrin 
always  bowed  very  low  to  Miss  Harriet  Norton.  Mine 
they  have  never  discovered.     That  's  lucky. 

^'  Philander' s 

"  How  desert-like  the  world  appears  to  me 
Now  Abby  's  gone  and  left  me  far  behind, 
Yet  dear  the  place  where  once  she  us'd  to  be 
And  lov'd  her  image  form'd  upon  my  mind. 

"Mrs.  Phillips' 

"  Sappho,  't  is  true  a  Muse  was  styl'd, 
But  sure  you  '11  all  agree 
That  she  was  naught  but  Fortune's  child 
Compared  to  Mrs.  P. 

''Mrs.  Phillips' 

"  The  chill  blasts  of  winter  sure  never  will  cease — 
How  it  pelts  us  with  snow  and  with  hail, 
The  hens  and  the  chicks  and  moreover  the  geese, 
Do  loudly,  most  loudly  bewail. 


86  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

''Mother's 

"  While  making  rhymes  and  mending  breeches, 
Which  do  I  best,  my  rhymes  or  stitches? 
I  'm  sure  no  mortal  wight  can  tell, 
I  do  them  both  so  very  well. 

"Orrins 

"  O  Moon!  fair  planet  of  the  night! 
Shed  o'er  the  world  thy  splendid  light, 
Thou  type  of  Canandaigua's  fair, 
Accept  this  tribute  of  a  prayer. 

"Philander  requested  me  to  assist  him  in  writing 
some  poesy  which  he  intended  to  send  to  Miss  E.  R. 
accompanied  with  a  beautiful  rose  (alas !  Miss  Painter). 
I  proposed  an  acrostic  and  putting  our  heads  together 
we  composed  the  following: 

"  Eliza  dear,  this  blushing  rose, 

Like  Heaven's  fair  tints  at  evening's  close 
I  send  to  you  in  manner  plain, 
Zealous  your  smiles  esteem 'd  to  gain. 
And  when,  dear  girl,  this  rose  you  see, 
Remember,  oh,  remember  me! 
Of  this  fair  rose,  though  short  the  stay, 
Yet  let  remembrance  longer  sway. 
Still  as  the  fading  flower  you  view 
Eliza,  pleasing  thoughts  renew. 

"You,  dear  Intrepid,  who  like  us  have  gnawed  your 
pen  &  dash'd  it  to  the  ground,  when  writing  acrostics, 
can  fancy  perhaps  how  difficult  it  was  to  make  those 
plaguey  initials  come  in  just  right.  We  went  on 
smoothly  until  we  came  to  the  letter  'Z,'  here  was  a 


Home- Life  in   Hartford  Sy 

full  stop,  in  vain  we  tortured  one  poor  word  a  thou- 
sand ways.  We  thought  of  zig-zag,  zana,  zephyrs,  but 
all  would  not  do,  till  I  popped  upon  the  word  zealous 
(by  looking  in  the  dictionary)  and  we  succeeded.  Pray 
give  us  joy. 

"Thus  far,  dear  cousin,  I  have  written  a  great  deal 
concerning  myself.  I  now  revert  with  increas'd  pleas- 
ure to  you  and  yours.  I  have  reserv'd  this  page  to 
give  you  freely  my  mind  concerning  certain  subjects. 
I  have  asked  father  what  he  would  think  if  I  should 
enter  into  the  society  of  the  Moravians.  'If  you  had 
any  real  design  of  going  there  I  would  tell  you,  but  it 
is  not  possible  you  should  have  got  any  such  whim  in 
your  head.'  'Well,  suppose  I  had  what  would  you 
say?'  'AH  I  should  say  would  be  this,  you  would  one 
day  bitterly  repent  it.'  From  my  father's  opinion 
given  more  freely  upon  this  subject,  forgive  me  In- 
trepid, if  I  say,  I  cannot  much  regret  your  disappoint- 
ment. The  Moravians  are  apostolic  and  indefatigable 
people,  but  they  entirely  seclude  themselves  from  the 
innocent  pleasures  sent  by  kind  Heaven  to  cheer  us  in 
this  Vale  of  Misery.  Your  motives  are  good  in  en- 
deavoring to  Christianize  the  savages,  but  are  there  not 
among  people  of  our  blood,  country  and  habits,  those 
who  although  their  Christian  light  faintly  gleams  like 
daybreak,  are  greatly  ignorant  of  the  sublime  truths  of 
our  holy  Religion?  Would  it  not  be  more  useful  to 
endeavor  to  lead  them  in  the  right  path  than  the  very 
uncertain  prospect  of  bringing  but  a  few  natives  to 
Christianity?  Their  minds  are  fix'd  and  their  prejudice 
against  white  people  for  their  fraud  and  treachery  is 
insurmountable;  at  the  present  time  too,  it  is  particu- 
larly dangerous.     These  few  thoughts,  dear  coz,  I  have 


88  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

flung  together,  hoping  you  will  excuse  their  boldness 
and  imperfection  and  view  only  the  heart  and  feelings 
with  which  they  are  delivered. 

"This  letter  I  have  written  at  different  times,  and 
therefore  excuse  the  want  of  regularity,  the  mistakes, 
egotism,  &c.  with  which  it  is  crowded,  and  I  am  your 
affect. 

"George  Chase." 

"The  gallant  Com.   McD. was  confirmed  with 

us  two  or  three  years  since, — perhaps  you  do  not  re- 
member him,  as  his  utmost  exertions  had  procured  him 
little  celebrity  on  the  lake.  The  Secretary  of  the 
Navy  is  his  bitterest  enemy  merely  because  he  is  a 
federalist.  Such  conduct  ought  at  once  to  displace  him 
from  office. 

"The  Commodore  married  a  Miss  S in  Middle- 
ton.  He  is  a  communicant  of  our  Holy  Church.  His 
bravery  is  needless  for  me  to  mention,  he  has  prov'd 
it  by  the  most  glorious  actions. 

"Last  night  an  express  came  in  town  announcing  the 
arrival  of  between  lo  and  1 1  sail  of  the  line  off  New 
London,  and  that  they  had  demanded  the  surrender  of 
the  place,  giving  them  one  day  to  prepare.  They  can 
never  take  the  place  until  half  the  men  are  killed. 
Such  enthusiasm  prevails  here  and  everywhere.  A 
great  many  young  men  have  gone  from  this  place. 
Thus  you  see  the  effects  of  this  hasty,  ill  judged  and 
wicked  war,  when  will  it  end?     Heaven  knows! 

"Salmon  was  here  to  return  with  aunt,  when  we 
arrived  home.  I  wish.  Intrepid,  he  had  more  experi- 
ence. Would  you  believe  it?  he  has  enlisted  in  the 
U.  S.  Army,  and  he  even  wished  to  associate  with  the 
troops  here   in    town.     Could  you  but  once  behold 


Home-Life  in  Hartford  89 

these  miserable  creatures  you  would  exclaim,  'Alas, 
for  my  country  when  its  honor  is  defended  by  such 
creatures  as  these.* 

"There  has  been  a  great  deal  of  trouble  with  them, 
too  tedious  for  me  to  write  &  unentertaining  for  you 
to  hear.  One  anecdote  I  cannot  help  repeating. 
Parson  Flint,  Sunday  before  last,  took  this  text  '  Fear 
God  &  honor  the  King.'  A  soldier  originally  a  sailor 
from  the  frigate  Macedonian  bellowed  out  from  the 
gallery,  'Avast  there  all  hands,  by  — ,  I  '11  have 
nothing  but  "honor  the  Congress."'  He  had  never 
been  in  a  church  or  meeting-house  before.  His  officer 
after  service  threatened  him  very  much, — 'Oh,'  said 
he,  'if  the  fellow  spoke  five  words  more  I  'd  hauled 
him  out  of  his  bunk.' 

"Write  me  a  long  letter  soon  &  tell  me  where  I  shall 
direct  the  answer.  Tell  me  of  every  circumstance  that 
has  befallen  you,  what  were  your  thoughts  when  climb- 
ing the  steeps  of  the  Green  Mountains  and  what  have 
been  your  adventures  on  the  romantic  banks  of  the 
Hudson? 

"My  dear  father  sends  his  best  love  to  you  &  tells 
you  to  continue  in  that  path  of  virtue  you  have  so  sin- 
cerely begun.  He  cannot  write  to  you  at  present,  for 
he  has  scarcely  time  to  write  his  two  sermons  a  week, 
and  besides  he  sees  a  great  deal  of  company. 

"Pray  excuse  this  hasty,  ill  written  scrawl  and  be- 
lieve me  your  affectionate  friend. 

"George." 

"P.  S. — Dear  Mother  sends  her  love  to  you  &  re- 
quests you  to  remain  as  good  a  churchman  as  you  were 
at  Cheshire;  for  she  says,  unless  you  'abide  with  the 
ship,'  you  cannot  be  saved." 


CHAPTER  XII 

STORIES   AND   STORY-TELLERS 

THE  time  has  now  come  when  the  spirit  of  the 
"  Pioneer  of  Missions"  in  this  country  could  no 
longer  linger  in  the  delights  of  his  lovely  home  in 
Hartford.  His  wife  had  been  restored  and  another 
son  had  been  born  during  his  happy  life  there.  Never 
were  people  more  beloved,  never  was  pastor  more  be- 
loved in  return,  never  one  more  affectionately  remem- 
bered for  generations  after,  than  the  rector  of  Christ 
Church  during  these  six  fruitful  years  from  1811  to 
1817.  But  before  the  final  good-byes  are  said,  there 
is  space  for  one  of  Bishop  Jarvis's  stories  as  related  by 
him  to  Mr.  Chase. 

The  Bishop  had  warmly  welcomed  Mr,  Chase  to  his 
diocese,  and  cordially  invited  him  to  his  home,  and 
during  the  interval  before  accepting  the  call  to  Christ 
Church,  Hartford,  he  took  occasion  to  visit  Bishop 
Jarvis  in  New  Haven  ;  and  greatly  did  the  younger  man 
enjoy  the  Bishop's  company  for  one  very  good  reason, 
that  he  told  good  stories,  "long  in  telling,"  but  always 
good  at  last,  so  that  one  had  only  to  be  patient  in  order 
to  be  highly  gratified  in  the  end. 

Mr.  Chase  characterizes  these  sketches  as  historical 
and  biographical,  illustrative  of  truths  beginning  to  fall 
into  disuse,  as  possibly  the  truth  illustrated  in  the  fol- 
lowing story  has  done  in  some  quarters. 

90 


Stories  and  Story-Tellers  91 

The  principle  involved  is  really  of  great  importance, 
and  as  the  "gems  of  wit  and  humor  are  scattered  in 
the  path"  of  the  story  there  will  be  no  harm  in  enjoy- 
ing the  Right  Reverend's  manner  of  telling  it.  Bishop 
Jarvis  was  an  intimate  friend  of  Bishop  Seabury's,  the 
first  American  Prelate,  and  his  immediate  successor  in 
the  Episcopate  of  Connecticut. 

Great  was  the  privilege  to  have  been  an  eye-witness 
of  the  good  deeds  of  him  who  had  connected  the 
Apostolic  Church  of  God  in  the  old  world  and  in  the 
new.  This  blessing  Dr.  Jarvis  enjoyed  for  many 
years.  In  grave  history  all  does  not  appear  which  is 
interesting  to  men  of  taste  to-day,  who  want  some- 
thing more  than  dry  facts  about  such  a  character  and 
career  as  Bishop  Seabury's,  "A  man  who  would  do 
and  dare  as  he  did,  alone  and  at  the  hazard  of  all  his 
substance,  even  of  his  life,  to  go  in  search  of  'that 
good  thing'  which  he  believed  Christ  gave  to  His 
Apostles  and  they  to  their  successors,  the  Bishops,  to 
the  end  of  the  world,  must  have  had  a  faith  which  few 
possess.  Knowing  this,  the  Church  in  Connecticut 
regards  the  memory  of  Seabury  as  the  Syrian  Christians 
found  in  India  venerated  the  name  of  Thomas,  the 
Apostle,  by  whom  their  Church  was  founded." 

Mr.  Chase  now  having  the  opportunity  to  learn  from 
one  who  had  seen  and  known  Bishop  Seabury,  begged 
Bishop  Jarvis  to  tell  him  something  of  the  sayings  and 
doings  of  the  former,  after  he  returned  to  his  native 
land  with  the  right  to  wear  the  vestments  of  a  bishop. 

"How  did  his  own  brethren  receive  him,  and  how 
did  others  who  profess  and  call  themselves  Christians 
receive  him?"  The  story  answers  these  questions  in 
Bishop  Jarvis's  own  words: 


92  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

"As  to  that  matter,  besides  what  is  aheady  in  print, 
— and  precious  Httle  for  some  reason  or  another  has 
been  brought  before  the  public,  much  less  than  the 
subject  demands, — I  happen  to  know  some  things,  not 
exactly  from  the  mouth  of  the  venerable  Diocesan,  for 
he  would  be  the  last  to  speak  in  praise  of  himself, 
which  may  answer  your  question.  One  anecdote  will 
illustrate  the  whole  subject. 

"The  dramatis  personce  are  few,  but  of  importance. 
They  are  Mather  Byles,  the  head  of  the  Congregational 
Church  in  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut,  or  rather  all 
New  England ;  Dr.  Parker,  rector  of  Trinity  Church, 
Boston,  and  our  then  newly  consecrated  Bishop  Sea- 
bury,  who  had  been  set  apart  (as  was  supposed  by 
those  who  knew  not  the  particulars)  for  all  New  Eng- 
land. It  was  well  known  by  some  intelligent  ministers 
of  the  Congregational  Church  that  the  Bishop  claimed, 
jure  divino,  the  Apostolic  commission  to  ordain  the 
ministers  of  Christ.  The  conclusion  was,  that  if  he 
were  right,  they  were  wrong;  and  as  men  are  generally 
unwilling  to  own  themselves  in  an  error,  no  small  op- 
position was  raised  against  Bishop  Seabury. 

"Among  others  who  felt  the  pains  of  a  question  of 
validity  in  Congregational  ordination  was  the  Rev. 
Mather  Byles,  of  Boston,  a  man  of  great  wit  and  learn- 
ing. He  said  within  himself,  as  he  afterwards  owned : 
'If  this  Bishop  Seabury  prevails,  the  Congregational 
clergy  are  virtually  denied  to  be  regularly  ordained 
ministers.  What  then  shall  be  done?  Bishop  Seabury 
will  not  ordain  us,  unless  we  all  be  qualified  as  he  shall 
think  fit,  or  unless  we  all  agree  to  use  the  liturgy  of  the 
Church  or  something  like  it ;  no.w,  however  this  might 
suit  some,  yet  all  will  not  be  satisfied.     Can  I  not  get 


Stories  and  Story-Tellers  93 

this  Bishop  to  acknowledge  the  validity  of  Congrega- 
tional orders?  Though  our  power  as  ministers  accord- 
ing to  our  platform  did  come  from  the  people,  yet  if  a 
Bishop  should  sanction  it,  who  shall  say  it  may  not 
do? '  Not  many  months  elapsed  before  the  originator 
of  this  scheme  had  a  fair  opportunity  to  try  it  upon 
Bishop  Seabury.  It  was  announced  that  he  had  come 
to  town  and  been  received  by  Dr.  Parker  and  his 
numerous  congregation,  and  that  of  Christ  Church, 
founded  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Cutler,  former  president  of 
Yale  College,  then  an  Episcopalian.  And  said  Dr. 
Byles:  'Bishop  Seabury  shall  know  while  in  this  city, 
that  there  is  such  a  person  in  it  as  Mather  Byles,  and  I 
will  so  contrive  as  to  make  the  prelate,  clad  with  all 
authority  as  he  is,  to  acknowledge  in  scriptural  lan- 
guage the  validity  of  all  the  New  England  ministry. 
I  will  make  him  give  me  the  "right  hand  of  fellow- 
ship," which  will  be  all  we  want.'  The  day  was  fine, 
and  the  Bishop,  the  guest  of  Dr.  Parker,  was  dining 
with  several  gentlemen  of  the  parish,  when  there  came 
a  messenger  with  a  note  from  the  Rev.  Mr.  Byles, 
which  the  bearer  would  deliver  to  none  but  the  Bishop. 
Accordingly  he  entered  the  dining-room  and  held  up  a 
letter  directed  to  the  'Right  Reverend  Father  in  God, 
Samuel,  Bishop  of  all  New  England.'  'The  hand- 
writing,' said  Dr.  Parker,  'is  that  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Byles. 
I  have  ever  treated  the  gentleman  well,  and  I  am  sur- 
prised that  he  should  have  taken  this  opportunity  to 
play  off  his  wit  upon  my  friend  and  guest,'  'What  's 
the  matter?'  said  the  Bishop.  'The  matter  is,'  said 
Dr.  Parker,  'that  Mr.  Byles,  hearing  you  have  arrived, 
wishes  to  bring  the  Episcopal  office  you  hold  into 
ridicule,  by  holding  up  to  contempt  the  title  which  is 


94  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

given  to  the  bishops  of  an  EstabHshed  Church,  by  ap- 
plying it  in  a  country  where  there  is  no  such  Church, 
and  no  such  pretensions ;  in  short,  Mr.  Byles  means 
the  whole  as  a  quiz  and  I  am  very  sorry  for  it.' 

"  'Quiz? '  said  the  Bishop.  'Is  there  a  man  in  Bos- 
ton who  would  quiz  Samuel  Seabury?  Let  us  break 
the  seal  and  see  what  are  the  contents  of  this  letter.' 
So  saying,  the  note  was  opened  and  found  to  contain 
nothing  more  than  a  respectful  invitation  to  Bishop 
Seabury  and  Dr.  Parker  to  tea  that  afternoon  at  a 
stated  hour,  and  it  concluded  with  a  statement  that 
there  was  a  particular  wish  for  a  favorable  reply,  as  Mr. 
Byles  had  something  of  great  importance  to  say  to  the 
Bishop. 

"  'Is  there  any  quizzing  in  this?'  said  the  Bishop. 
'You  will  see,'  said  Dr.  Parker.  'Tell  Mr.  Byles,' 
said  the  Bishop  to  the  messenger,  'that  I  will  wait 
upon  him  at  the  hour  stated.'  'And,'  said  Dr.  Parker, 
'tell  him  that  Dr.  Parker  will  come  too.' 

"The  time  came  when  the  Bishop  and  Dr.  Parker 
began  their  walk  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Byles.  The 
house  and  yard  of  Mr.  Byles  were  enclosed  within  a 
high  board  fence.  When  the  gate  was  opened,  they 
discovered  Mr.  Byles  dressed  in  his  best,  with  his 
bands  on,  at  some  distance  from  them,  in  an  attitude 
of  great  formality,  making  an  obeisance  at  every  step. 
His  bows  were  so  formal  as  to  require  more  time  than 
to  allow  him  to  meet  his  guests  half-way  from  the 
house  to  the  gate,  so  that  they  had  well-nigh  reached 
the  doorstep  before  he  began  to  speak  and  when  his 
mouth  was  open,  from  it  proceeded  the  most  pompous 
words.  Raising  his  head  and  looking  the  Bishop  full 
in  the  face,  he  said :  '  Rt.  Rev.  Father  in  God,  Samuel, 


Stories  and  Story-Tellers  95 

Bishop  of  all  New  England,  I  Mather  Byles,  as  repre- 
sentative of  all  the  clergy  of  the  Congregational  Church 
of  Massachusetts  Bay  and  in  other  places,  bid  thee  a 
hearty  welcome  to  Boston  and  give  thee,  and  hope  to 
receive  from  thee,  "the  right  hand  of  fellowship."  ' 

"The  Bishop  when  he  saw  the  extended  and  trem- 
bling hand  of  Mr.  Byles,  coolly  replied:  'Not  so,  Mr. 
Byles,  with  your  leave  I  can't  do  this,  but  as  you  are 
a  left-handed  brother,  I  give  you  my  left  hand.'  " 

Before  the  time  came  when  Mr.  Chase  was  compelled 
to  obey  that  impulse,  which  had  ever  been  at  work 
within  his  consciousness  since  his  early  missionary 
days  in  the  wilds  of  western  and  northern  New  York, 
let  us  pause  for  a  time  and  endeavor  to  show  what  he 
was  giving  up,  and  to  what  he  was  going. 

He  was  giving  up  his  lovely  home,  among  attached 
and  loving  friends,  who  honored  him  as  their  rector 
and  friend,  who  respected  him  as  a  man  in  social  and 
ministerial  life,  and  also  loved  him  for  his  many  kindly 
and  endearing  qualities  in  all  relations,  as  a  husband 
and  father  and  as  a  friend  and  neighbor. 

Among  his  parishioners  were  many  families  well 
known  in  the  history  of  Christ  Church,  Hartford :  the 
Sigourneys,  the  Imlays,  the  Tudors,  the  Beaches,  and 
many  more  who  had  by  their  Christian  kindness  made 
him  and  his  family  most  happy  during  the  six  years 
spent  among  them.  The  church  and  the  number  of 
communicants  had  greatly  increased  ;  his  worldly  affairs 
were  not  restricted  by  the  hand  of  poverty ;  his  young 
sons  had  both  entered  college  after  a  most  satisfactory 
examination,  and  both  were  admitted  to  the  junior 
class.  Another  son  had  been  added  to  the  family ; 
and  his  wife's  health  was  only  comparatively  restored; 


96  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

yet  such  was  his  ever-recurring  sense  of  the  need  of 
missions,  especially  in  Ohio,  then  the  "far  West," 
that  he  could  not  rest ;  in  short,  he  was  a  born 
"pioneer,"  ready  to  do  and  dare.  Thus  he  entered 
upon  what  proved  a  triumph  of  faith  above  every 
obstacle,  and  also  a  sad  ending,  humanly  speaking,  of 
the  great  and  noble  work  upon  which  he  had  ventured 
his  hopes,  his  fortune,  his  very  life  and  that  of  his  best 
beloved,  his  home  and  friends  both  in  this  country 
and  England. 

When  he  left  Hartford,  his  home,  wife,  and  children, 
he  literally  took  leave  of  all  that  makes  life  in  this 
world  desirable  to  a  man  in  the  prime  of  manhood,  to 
enter  upon  a  life  of  poverty,  self-denial,  suffering,  con- 
stant care,  weary  trials  without  sympathy,  among  the 
rough  and  scattered  settlements  of  a  wild  new  country ; 
his  plans  were  to  be  condemned  in  high  quarters,  his 
qualifications  for  the  bishopric  suspected,  through 
weary  months  of  waiting;  yet  he  was  at  last  the  con- 
queror, as,  eighty  years  later,  it  has  been  fully  acknow- 
ledged by  the  descendants  of  those  who  would  vainly 
call  in  question  his  churchmanship.  As  a  matter  of 
fact  no  bishop  of  the  church  in  this  country  has  ever 
been  more  loyal  to  her  principles,  or  more  careful  in 
carrying  out  her  worship  according  to  the  Prayer  Book. 

And,  supposing  he  had  listened  to  the  voice  of  pru- 
dence and  comfort  for  himself  and  family, — there  were 
excellent  reasons  for  so  doing;  the  health  and  ease  of 
his  frail  and  often  suffering  wife,  the  pleasure  of  caring 
for  his  sons  in  college,  and  besides  all  that,  the  familiar 
presence  of  friends  and  relatives,  loving  and  beloved, 
with  the  almost  certain  prospect  of  rising  in  his  profes- 
sion to  a  position  of  power  and  honor,  without  the 


Stones  and  Story-Tellers  97 

strenuous  effort  of  building  up  the  Church  from  its 
foundations  in  a  distant  State,  where  no  provision  had 
been  made  by  the  Church  at  large  for  missions  in  any 
form, — would  he  not  have  been  justified  in  giving  up 
his  great  plan  for  educating  young  men  in  the  West, 
who  were ' '  sons  of  the  soil "  ?  Many  good  men  thought 
so,  but  his  own  soul  would  have  condemned  him.  He 
never  could,  from  any  of  these  motives,  have  aban- 
doned what,  first,  last,  and  forever,  he  believed  to  be 
right ;  and  thus  he  became,  as  a  late  writer  has  said : 
"One  of  the  builders  of  our  country,  the  'great  pioneer 
bishop,'  the  son  of  the  typical  pioneers  of  the  New 
England  blood  of  Vermont  and  New  Hampshire." 


M' 


CHAPTER  XIII 

PIONEER   MISSION   WORK   IN   OHIO 

R.  CHASE  met  his  flock  for  the  last  time  on  the 
2d  of  March,  1817,  and  administered  to  them 
the  Holy  Communion.  He  had  delivered  no  farewell 
sermon  on  that  sad  day,  yet  all  present  were  in  tears 
and  all  went  silently  away,  praying  that  God  would 
watch  over  and  protect  their  friend  and  pastor;  and 
one  may  believe  that  these  prayers  were  heard  by  Him 
who  hath  all  things  in  His  hand. 

The  rector  walked  from  the  church  to  his  home  on 
Burr  Street  alone;  "cold  blew  the  night  wind,  drifting 
fast  the  snow. ' '  One  may  imagine  how  his  heart  was 
chilled,  how  drear  the  prospect  seemed,  when  early 
next  morning  the  stage  called  for  him,  the  farewell 
words  were  spoken  to  wife  and  child,  and  he  began  his 
melancholy  journey  to  "the  Ohio." 

Bishop  Clark,  of  Rhode  Island,  refers  to  this  in  a 
commemorative  sermon  preached  in  Christ  Church  in 
1879.  "Some  of  you  can  recall  the  ministry  of  the 
ardent  and  energetic  Bishop  Chase;  and  perhaps  you 
now  remember  that  wintry  afternoon  when  he  held  his 
farewell  service,  while  the  snow  was  beating  against  the 
windows  in  the  plain,  old,  wooden  building  where  you 
then  went  up  to  worship.  You  may  have  seen  him 
starting  the  next  morning  in  the  storm,   as  he  went 


Pioneer  Mission  Work  in  Ohio  99 

forth  relinquishing  the  comforts  and  refinements  of  the 
place  where,  he  declares,  he  passed  the  sunniest  por- 
tion of  his  eventful  life,  to  discharge  the  rough  work 
of  a  pioneer  of  the  Church  in  what  was  then  a  western 
wilderness.  I  do  not  know  that  any  of  those  whom  I 
address  to-day  can  recall  the  scene,  for  it  is  now  more 
than  sixty  years  since  he  laid  down  his  rectorship  of 
this  church,  to  become,  two  years  afterward,  the  first 
Bishop  of  Ohio,  and,  in  1835,  the  first  Bishop  of  Illi- 
nois. And  as  an  indication  of  the  estimate  that  was 
placed  upon  his  labors  here,  I  quote  from  a  long  letter 
addressed  by  the  wardens  and  vestry,  181 8,  to  the 
standing  committees  of  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania: 
'When  he  entered  upon  his  parochial  duties  here  he 
found  the  parish  weak  and  containing  scarcely  thirty 
communicants,  and  when  he  quitted  it  he  left  it  aug- 
mented in  members  and  in  attachment,  and  with  com- 
municants increased  to  about  one  hundred  and  ten.' 
As  there  was  very  little  of  commonplace  in  the  life  of 
Bishop  Chase,  so  there  were  no  neutral  tints  in  his 
character ;  the  lines  were  sharply  drawn  and  the  color- 
ing deep  and  strong.  Right  or  wrong,  he  was  not  to 
be  easily  diverted  from  his  course,  and  his  own  strong 
conviction  that  he  was  sure  to  be  right  was  one  of  the 
secrets  of  his  power.  He  was  never  ashamed  of  his 
Divine  Master,  and  did  not  seem  to  know  what  the 
fear  of  man  meant." 

The  four  hundred  miles  from  Hartford  to  Buffalo  on 
Lake  Erie  made  but  the  beginning  of  the  journey  to 
Ohio.  Coach-bodies  set  on  runners  were  the  means  of 
winter  travel  in  those  days. 

The  snow  held  until  Mr.  Chase  reached  Canandaigua, 
from  thence  the  coach  went  on  wheels.     This  caused 


lOO  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

much  suffering  in  body  and  mind,  as  he  feared  that  a 
trouble  caused  by  a  long  residence  in  a  hot  climate 
would  unfit  him  for  the  laborious  life  before  him. 
However,  he  comforted  himself  with  prayer  and  pa- 
tience, two  words  that  go  very  well  together  and  prove 
a  panacea  for  pains  of  many  kinds. 

Mr.  Chase  preached  on  Sunday  at  Batavia  and  also 
at  Buffalo,  where  he  found  a  few  houses,  and  fewer 
hopes  of  "getting  on."  There  was  no  coach  and  no 
other  means  of  conveyance  on  the  southern  shore  of 
Lake  Erie,  and  it  might  be  a  month  before  the  ice 
would  give  way.  "To  an  ardent  mind,"  says  Mr. 
Chase,  "bent  upon  progress,  these  were  circumstances 
most  unpleasant."  Travel  on  the  frozen  lake,  though 
considered  dangerous,  was  still  continued.  While 
looking  over  this  rather  chilly  prospect,  Mr.  Chase 
espied  a  man  standing  upright  on  his  sled  with  his 
horses  facing  the  lake. 

"Will  you  kindly  inform  me  whither  you  are 
going?"  said  Mr.  Chase. 

"Up  the  lake,"  replied  the  man. 

"And  will  you  allow  a  stranger  to  ride  with  you  for 
a  reasonable  compensation? " 

"I  am  only  going  twelve  miles,  but  if  you  wish, 
jump  in." 

Mr.  Chase  obeyed,  and  as  he  afterward  remembered 
this  incident,  was  amazed  at  his  temerity  in  view  of 
the  dangers  he  encountered  farther  on.  He  always 
felt  that  a  loving  Father  guided  and  protected  him, 
hiding  from  him  step  by  step  the  way,  and  bringing 
him  safely  to  the  end  through  all.  This  twelve  miles 
was  soon  over,  a  mere  beginning.  The  ice  on  the  lake 
reached  only  to  Erie ;  the  spring  winds  and  the  waves 


Pioneer  Mission  Work  in  Ohio         loi 

of  Lake  Erie  on  the  Pennsylvania  shore  had  rendered 
the  ice  unsafe,  and  the  spring  floods  and  absence  of 
bridges  rendered  a  journey  by  land  impossible.  The 
settlements  through  the  new  country  were  few  and  far 
between ;  in  short,  the  outlook  was  most  dishearten- 
ing. Mr.  Chase  had  thought  when  the  chance  offered 
for  "getting  on"  twelve  miles,  that  it  would  be  some- 
thing gained;  and  as  he,  with  his  luggage,  jumped 
into  the  farmer's  sleigh,  he  was  cheered  by  the  pres- 
ence of  a  fellow-traveller,  a  Mr.  Hibbard,  who  just  at 
that  moment  asked  the  same  privilege. 

Hardly  had  this  little  trip  ended  when  an  opportun- 
ity presented  of  engaging  another  man,  to  take  both 
gentlemen  twenty-five  miles  farther  on  to  Cattaraugus 
Creek.  The  ice  up  to  this  time  seemed  strong.  It 
was  not  cold,  and  the  sleigh  with  no  friction  glided 
swiftly  along,  propelled  by  a  fine  pair  of  horses ;  before 
dark  they  were  at  Cattaraugus  Creek.  It  was  a  dismal 
scene.  No  human  habitation  on  this  side  of  the  dark, 
muddy  stream,  pouring  its  overflowing  waters  upon  the 
ice,  far  and  wide  over  the  lake.  There  were  houses  on 
the  other  side,  to  which  it  was  understood  they  were 
to  be  carried  for  the  money  agreed  upon.  The  stream 
could  not  be  forded,  it  was  now  too  deep  and  rapid. 

"What  shall  we  do?  "  was  asked  the  driver. 

"I  have  brought  you  to  Cattaraugus  Creek,"  said 
the  man,  "and  I  want  my  money,"  throwing  out  Mr. 
Chase's  trunk  and  coat  and  Mr.  Hibbard's  valise  upon 
the  beach. 

"But  you  do  not  intend  to  leave  us  here,  where 
there  is  no  house,  to  perish?  " 

"I  agreed  to  bring  you  to  Cattaraugus  Creek,  and 
here  you  be." 


I02  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

"And  my  money  is  in  my  pocket,  which  is  another 
fact!"  said  Mr.  Chase.  "Now  hark  you!  if  you  leave 
us  here,  as  the  night  is  coming  on,  where  there  is  no 
sheher,  we  shall  die ;  this  was  no  part  of  the  contract 
between  us.  But  there  is  no  use  in  further  parley ;  as 
this  obstruction  was  unexpected  and  may  cause  you 
some  delay,  we  are  willing  to  pay  you  extra  for  helping 
us  out  of  this  trouble.  Now !  turn  your  horses  out  upon 
the  ice  till  you  get  beyond  the  part  weakened  by  the 
warm,  muddy  water  of  the  creek  and  then  cross  the 
stream  and  take  us  round  to  yonder  house,  which  we 
saw  before  dark." 

By  this  time  the  sun  was  down  and  dark  clouds 
covered  the  northeast  horizon. 

The  man  surlily  but  immediately  obeyed,  and  lash- 
ing his  horses,  took  them  out  to  what  seemed  a  safe  dis. 
tance.  "Now  turn  to  the  left,"  said  Mr.  Chase.  And 
he  adds:  "It  was  terrible  to  hear  the  water  pour  over 
the  runners  as  they  crossed  over  this  muddy  stream  in 
a  dark  night,  so  far  from  the  shore.  But  it  was  done, 
and  the  man,  well  rewarded,  went  his  way;  and  our- 
selves, tired  and  hungry,  found  shelter  and  refreshment 
in  Mack's  Log  Tavern." 

The  next  morning  was  cold  and  clear, — no  wind.  A 
fine,  large  horse  was  put  before  a  sleigh,  or  rather  a 
cutter,  in  New  England  style,  large  enough  to  accom- 
modate the  travellers  and  the  driver  who  was  engaged 
to  take  them  to  the  Four  Corners,  a  place  where  there 
were  two  log  cabins  five  miles  short  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania line.  It  was  sunrise  before  the  party  started. 
In  going  out  upon  the  frozen  lake,  they  passed  be- 
tween mounds  of  ice  and  sometimes  over  large  cakes 
thrown  up  by  the  storms  of  winter.     But  the  driver 


Pioneer  Mission  Work  in  Ohio         103 

knew  his  way,  and  horse  and  cutter  were  both  strong. 
Mr.  Chase  says:  "The  scene  before  us,  as  we  came 
out  from  the  mounds  of  ice,  was  most  brilliant  and 
even  sublime.  Before  us,  up  the  lake,  was  a  level  ex- 
panse of  glassy  ice  from  two  to  three  miles  wide,  be- 
tween two  ranges  of  ice  mountains,  all  parallel  with  the 
lake  shore  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach.  On  this 
expanse  and  on  these  mountains,  and  on  the  icicles 
which  hung  in  vast  numbers  and  in  infinite  variety  of 
forms,  from  the  rocky  shore  on  the  left,  the  rising  sun 
was  pouring  his  cheerful  beams.  Light  and  shade, 
brilliance  and  darkness,  were  in  such  proximity  and  so 
blended  as  to  produce  a  most  bewildering  effect.  As 
we  drove  through  this  scene  of  beauty  and  sublimity, 
we  were  taught  a  striking  lesson  of  God's  care,  even 
for  the  wild  eagles  who  were  feasting  upon  the  fresh 
fish  just  from  the  ice,  as  they  sat  upon  these  frozen 
mountains,  each  with  a  fish  in  his  claws." 

"What  noble  birds!  Where  do  they  get  these  fish 
at  this  season?"  was  asked.  "They  get  them,"  said 
the  driver,  "from  the  top  of  the  ice.  They  were 
thrown  up  last  winter  in  the  storm  and  being  frozen  at 
once,  have  kept  perfectly  fresh  till  this  spring,  and 
the  sun  thaws  them  out  for  the  eagles  and  ravens,  who 
at  this  time  have  nothing  else  to  eat." 

As  the  driver  told  this  simple  fact  of  the  eagles,  the 
fish,  and  the  ravens,  Mr.  Chase's  thoughts  turned  upon 
his  lonely  and  almost  discouraged  condition.  "And 
will  not  He  who  feedeth  the  eagles  and  ravens  feed  and 
support  a  poor,  defenceless,  and  solitary  missionary, 
who  goeth  forth  depending  on  His  mercy  to  preach 
His  Holy  Word  and  build  up  His  Church  in  the 
wilderness?"  he  asked  himself. 


I04  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

From  this  hour  he  adopted  as  his  motto,  "Jehovah 
Jireh,"  "The  Lord  will  provide," — the  answer  of  faith. 

It  was  not  quite  noon  when  the  Cattaraugus  driver 
stopped  on  the  ice  opposite  the  Four  Corners.  Thus 
far  had  the  Lord  helped.  The  travellers  left  their 
luggage  on  the  bank  and  walked  up  to  the  two  cabins. 
Mr.  Chase,  perceiving  a  pair  of  fine  horses  standing 
with  harness  on,  and  a  man  at  work  near-by,  said : 
"Who  owns  these  horses?" 

"I  do,"  said  the  man. 

"Have  you  a  good  sleigh?" 

"Yes." 

"Will  you  put  them  before  it  at  once,  and  take  us 
up  the  lake  as  far  as  the  Pennsylvania  line? " 

At  this  the  man  hesitated,  but  finally  said:  "I  have 
just  moved  from  the  east  and  want  money  bad  enough, 
having  expended  every  cent  in  moving  my  family. 
The  wind  puts  the  water  in  the  lake  in  motion  and 
causes  the  ice  to  crack  dangerously,  but  if  you  will 
give  me  a  little  extra,  I  think  I  will  go." 

The  bargain  was  soon  made,  and  after  eating  a  few 
doughnuts  to  allay  their  sharp  hunger,  and  hearing  the 
man  whistling  to  his  dog  and  cracking  his  whip  over 
his  prancing  horses  all  ready  to  start,  they  ran  to  the 
shore  and  seated  themselves  in  the  sleigh.  On  they 
went  over  the  ice  at  almost  railroad  speed ;  for  the 
horses  had  a  good  driver  and  the  travellers  felt  their 
spirits  rise  in  the  exciting  but  dangerous  race  for  life 
that  it  really  was, — for  the  cracks  in  the  ice  became 
visibly  wider  as  they  advanced.  But  no  word  was 
spoken.  The  horses  having  trotted  without  injury 
over  the  narrow  cracks,  became  accustomed  to  leap 
over  the  wider  ones,  but  none  were  wide  enough  yet 


Pioneer  Mission  Work  in  Ohio         105 

to  let  in  the  runners  lengthwise,  and  the  travellers 
thanked  God  silently  for  every  successful  leap. 

The  horses  seemed  to  enjoy  the  excitement ;  no  whip 
was  needed.  The  driver  clung  to  his  seat ;  swifter  and 
swifter  the  good  beasts  carried  them  on  until  a  house 
was  in  sight,  and  the  driver  pulled  up  to  the  smooth, 
pebbly  shore. 

The  driver  said  :  "This  is  the  place  where  I  promised 
to  bring  you, — the  Pennsylvania  line.  You  are  now 
on  the  lake  shore  of  that  State." 

Mr.  Chase  replied:  "I  will  go  no  farther  on  the 
lake. 

"I  am  glad  of  that,"  said  Mr.  Hibbard,  "my  heart 
has  been  in  my  mouth  all  the  way." 

"Why  did  you  not  say  so?  "  said  Mr.  Chase. 

"Because,"  said  Mr.  Hibbard,  "I  was  ashamed  to 
own  I  had  not  as  much  courage  as  a  minister!  " 

The  driver  received  his  pay,  called  for  his  dog,  and 
was  off  for  home.  Once  more  the  travellers  were  left 
upon  the  lonely  beach. 

Any  one  who  has  seen  the  breaking  up  of  ice  on  any 
one  of  the  Great  Lakes  in  the  early  spring  can  well  feel 
the  breeziness  of  this  little  sketch.  Probably  it  was 
not  without  a  certain  very  piquant  enjoyment  for  all 
three  of  the  men  concerned.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that 
the  brave  driver  and  the  fine  horses,  as  well  as  the  dog, 
got  over  the  cracks  in  the  ice  safely. 

There  was  a  lonely  log  hut  on  the  beach  not  far 
away ;  and  our  travellers,  finding  no  accommodation 
for  man  or  beast,  succeeded  in  hiring  a  boy  to  carry 
Mr.  Chase's  trunk  on  horseback  for  two  miles,  where 
they  found  a  comfortable  house,  obtaining  food  and 
lodging  for  the  night. 


io6  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

They  found  no  way  to  "get  on,"  however,  therefore 
went  on  foot,  occasionally  catching  a  ride  on  a 
country  wagon,  and  sending  the  luggage  on  to  Erie  by 
means  of  a  chance  vehicle  going  in  that  direction. 
From  Erie  they  succeeded  in  getting  a  conveyance  to 
Coneaut  Creek,  in  Ohio ;  and  thus  the  future  Bishop 
of  Ohio  entered  into  his  diocese  that  was  to  be !  Mr, 
Hibbard,  at  this  point,  left  his  travelling  companion  of 
days,  and  they  never  met  again. 

Here  Mr,  Chase  began  his  missionary  work  in  Ohio, 
Coneaut  Creek,  now  Salem,  was  then  a  cluster  of  a  few 
log  houses.  There  was  not  a  churchman  in  the  place. 
Mr.  Chase  held  service,  using  all  that  was  possible 
from  the  Prayer  Book,  and  preaching,  "All  present 
'admired'  the  prayers;  this  was  good  so  far,  but  it 
would  have  been  much  better  had  they  joined  in 
them," 

On  Monday,  the  17th,  Mr.  Chase  obtained  convey- 
ance to  Ashtabula,  where  he  remained  and  officiated 
for  a  week,  when  a  Mr.  Seymour  took  him  on  to 
Rome.  It  would  seem  that  up  to  this  time,  in  this 
part  of  Ohio,  there  were  no  public  means  of  travel. 

Another  matter  is  worthy  of  note, — that  Mr.  Chase 
remained  long  enough  in  these  new  towns,  not  only 
to  hold  service  and  preach,  but  to  instruct  the  igno- 
rant in  the  ways  of  the  Church,  and  to  seek  for  those 
who  might  hitherto  have  known  something  of  its  usage, 
and  who  had  already  been  baptized. 

The  weather  having  changed  to  severe  cold,  he  and 
his  friend,  Mr.  Seymour,  suffered  severely;  but  they 
at  last  arrived  at  the  home  of  a  Mr.  Crowell,  near  Aus- 
tinburg,  who  was  an  ardent  churchman  and  welcomed 
Mr.  Chase  with  expressions  of  joy.     He  had  always 


Pioneer  Mission  Work  in  Ohio         107 

kept  his  Prayer  Book  through  all  the  varying  influences 
of  friends  and  neighbors, — his  family  being  at  variance 
with  him  also, — yet  he  hoped  in  time  they  would  all 
see  more  clearly,  and  for  this  he  had  always  prayed. 
"And  here,"  said  Mr.  Chase,  "his  prayer  was  heard, 
and  in  the  end  the  whole  family  was  trained  in  the  way 
of  primitive  order." 

The  same  night  Mr.  Chase  held  service  in  Mr. 
Crowell's  house, — the  neighbors  coming  in  from  their 
cabins  in  the  surrounding  forest,  lighted  by  their 
hickory  torches. 

From  Mr.  Crowell's  home  in  the  wilderness,  Mr. 
Seymour  returned  to  Ashtabula,  when  the  question 
arose  how  should  Mr.  Chase  get  to  Windsor,  a  town 
where  there  were  several  churchmen.  Mr.  Crowell 
offered  to  lend  him  his  "stiff-kneed  mare"  to  help  him 
over  the  watercourses,  which  kindly  offer  he  accepted. 

It  was  ten  miles  to  Windsor,  and  the  road,  except 
for  two  or  three  miles,  was  through  a  dense  forest. 
The  path,  a  part  of  the  way,  was  rough  with  frozen 
mud,  and  the  poor  beast  with  her  stiff  knee  limped 
sorely.  Before  the  second  mile  was  over,  in  attempt- 
ing to  avoid  a  log  on  one  side  and  a  deep  hole  on  the 
other,  she  caught  her  "game  leg"  and  fell  with  the 
rider's  foot  under  her,  fast  in  the  stirrup.  A  few 
struggles  and  his  leg  was  released,  but  the  poor  animal 
lay  there  still.  On  examination  her  leg  was  found  fast 
between  two  logs,  and  a  long  lever  was  needed  to  set 
it  free.  A  rail  was  taken  from  the  fence  and  then  the 
puzzle  came,  where  to  stand?  If  he  stood  far  enough 
back  to  raise  the  log  by  bearing  on  the  outer  end  of 
the  lever,  he  was  not  near  enough  to  put  a  block  under 
the  log  to  keep  what  was  gained. 


io8  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

After  several  fruitless  attempts,  he  felt  inclined  to 
indulge  in  a  hearty  laugh  at  the  ridiculous  figure  he 
cut  by  the  wayside,  thus  bothered.  Sympathy  for 
the  poor  suffering  beast,  however,  enabled  him,  by 
great  exertion,  to  throw  off  the  log  from  her  leg  and 
she  was  once  more  on  her  feet.  Mr.  Chase  left  her  at 
a  house  near-by,  to  be  sent  back  to  the  owner,  and 
with  his  bruised  and  aching  foot  went  on  his  way  to 
Windsor  as  bravely  as  he  could  on  his  own  legs.  Hap- 
pily the  way  through  the  woods  was  frozen,  with  much 
smooth  ice.  "What  a  blessing  to  a  man  with  sprained 
ankle  and  a  bruised  leg!  " 


CHAPTER  XIV 

ORGANIZING    PARISHES   AND   FARM 

ARRIVED  at  Windsor,  Mr.  Chase  met  with  a  warm 
welcome  from  Judge  Solomon  Griswold,  a 
brother  of  Bishop  Griswold.  This  good  man  was  from 
West  Windsor,  Connecticut,  and  with  a  few  families 
had  come  to  northern  Ohio  when  it  was  an  entire 
wilderness.  "I  am  rejoiced,"  said  he,  "to  see  a 
Church  clergyman,  one  who  is  duly  authorized  to  ad- 
minister the  Sacraments.  I  have  read  prayers  here  in 
the  woods  for  several  years.  The  scattered  flock  of 
Christ  has  thus  far  been  kept  mindful  that  there  is  a 
fold  :  you,  I  trust,  have  come  to  gather  them  in  and  to 
feed  them  with  Heavenly  Food.  I  bless  God  that  I 
see  you  among  us.  I  had  begun  to  think  that  our 
Church  would  never  visit  the  frontier." 

Such  joy  there  was  that  a  Church  minister  had  come, 
that  a  considerable  congregation  was  gathered  that 
night,  divine  service  held,  and  a  sermon  preached. 
This,  after  such  a  day  as  Mr.  Chase  had  spent  with  the 
stiff-kneed  mare  and  his  long  walk  through  the  forest 
with  a  sprained  ankle !  Notice  was  given  out  at  this 
meeting  that  divine  service  might  be  expected  next 
Sunday,  and  of  the  intention  of  the  minister  to  cate- 
chize the  youth,  to  baptize  the  children,  and  administer 
the  Holy  Communion  to  all  such  "who  truly  repented 

log 


no  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

of    their    sins,    steadfastly    purposing    to    lead    new 

If  J 
ives. 

"All  this  is  mentioned  here,"  Mr.  Chase  goes  on  to 
say  in  his  Reminiscences,  "because  it  is  frequently  in- 
sinuated by  the  enemies  of  the  Church  that  she  admits 
communicants  to  the  Lord's  Table  without  due  prepa- 
ration. This  is  not  true  when  our  clergy  do  their 
duty ;  this  great  obligation  was  deeply  impressed  upon 
my  heart  when  commencing  the  parish  of  Christ 
Church,  Windsor." 

For  this  reason  Mr.  Chase  stayed  in  Windsor 
several  weeks  before  he  administered  the  Holy  Com- 
munion. 

As  a  matter  of  course,  he  felt  the  need  of  Confirma- 
tion, but  there  was  no  bishop  to  care  for  the  sheep  of 
this  distant  field,  at  that  time.  He  baptized  forty-five 
in  this  place,  gave  the  Holy  Communion  to  seventeen 
persons  on  Easter  Day,  and  preached  many  sermons. 

While  in  Windsor  there  was  a  consultation  of  persons 
from  various  townships  near  as  to  the  expediency  of 
holding  a  Convention,  at  the  beginning  of  the  coming 
year,  at  Columbus.  This  was  agreed  upon  with  "great 
unanimity  and  zeal."  Thus  this  earnest  and  high- 
souled  missionary  inaugurated  his  great  work. 

To  go  back  to  the  injured  leg;  before  he  arrived 
at  Judge  Griswold's,  it  was  so  swollen  that  the  boot 
could  not  be  drawn  off  until  the  next  day.  Imagine 
his  discomfort  while  holding  service ! 

After  this,  Mr.  Chase  was  obliged  to  travel  entirely 
on  horseback,  leaving  his  trunk  at  Windsor,  with  the 
intention  of  buying  a  horse  as  soon  as  possible.  Here, 
however,  he  was  spared  the  necessity,  for  a  friend  vol- 
unteered his  horse  for  use  during  the  whole  journey, 


Organizing  Parishes  and  Farm  1 1 1 

and  he  joyfully  says :  "There  are  some  names  in  Sardis 
whose  garments  are  not  defiled  with  covetousness. " 

After  this  he  spent  a  month  in  organizing  parishes 
at  Ravenna,  Middleburg,  Zanesville,  and  Columbus. 
Grass  did  not  grow  under  the  feet  of  his  horse  in  these 
days  of  early  spring,  neither  did  this  robust  missionary 
forget  his  duty  to  his  family,  for  he  wrote  to  his  wife 
to  come  on  to  Buffalo  in  the  spring,  send  their  house- 
hold goods  to  Sandusky,  and  come  herself  to  Cleveland 
by  the  middle  of  June,  where  she  might  expect  to 
meet  her  husband.  He  must  have  taken  a  great  deal 
for  granted  in  making  such  an  arrangement,  which  he 
himself  acknowledges,  for  there  were  then  no  canals, 
no  railways,  no  steamboats  on  the  Great  Lakes.  The 
only  packet  of  any  kind  that  sailed  Lake  Erie  was  the 
brig  Michigan,  and  even  she  was  a  trading  vessel,  not 
intended  for  passengers. 

Meantime,  great  uncertainty  attended  his  appoint- 
ments. He  had  fixed  on  no  place  for  his  home ;  he 
knew  not  whither  he  should  travel;  where  he  should 
make  his  visits  was  unknown  to  him ;  and  yet  he  had 
given  directions  for  the  removal  of  his  family  and 
effects,  as  if  all  were  a  certainty.  This  was  done  in 
May,  and  from  the  centre  of  Ohio  he  went  to  Cincin- 
nati, officiating  as  he  passed  through  Springfield  and 
Dayton,  and  arriving  in  Cincinnati  late  on  Saturday. 

Dr.  Drake  received  him  kindly  and  made  provision 
that  he  should  preach  "in  the  brick  meeting-house 
with  two  steeples"  the  next  day.  The  congregation 
was  large  and  attentive,  and  at  the  close  notice  was 
given  that  if  any  present  were  desirous  of  forming  a 
parish  attached  to  the  Episcopal  Church,  Mr.  Chase 
would  meet  them  at  Dr.  Drake's  immediately  after  the 


112  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

service.  At  this  meeting  a  goodly  number  of  the 
"most  respectable  citizens"  were  present,  among  them 
General  William  Henry  Harrison. 

Mr.  Chase  does  not  give  any  further  information  in 
regard  to  the  founding  of  the  first  parish  in  Cincinnati. 
It  is  supposed  to  have  been  St.  Paul's  parish,  now  the 
cathedral  of  that  city. 

Up  to  this  time  the  story  of  Mr.  Chase's  missionary 
work  has  been  taken,  in  part,  from  the  Rcniifiiscences, 
which  was  written  by  him  from  memory.  In  the  fol- 
lowing letter  to  his  son  George,  he  describes  his  wife's 
arrival  at  Cleveland,  and  their  journey  to  Worthing- 
ton,  where  he  had  bought  a  small  farm,  and  where  he 
intended  to  make  his  future  home : 

"  WoRTHiNGTON,  Ohio,  July  lo,  1817. 

"My  dear  son  George: 

"Yesterday  your  mother  and  I  took  a  ride  from  this 
place  to  Columbus,  where,  at  the  post-office,  I  found  a 
letter  from  you  dated  the  30th  of  May.  If  you  had 
known  the  abundance  of  mercies  which  the  good  God 
was  pouring  upon  us,  almost  to  a  miracle,  to  your 
father,  mother,  uncle  and  aunt,  and  little  brother  on 
their  journey  hither,  you  might  have  spared  yourself 
the  trouble  of  that  part  of  your  letter  which  related  to 
them.  While  at  Columbus,  before  my  visit  to  Cincin- 
nati, I  addressed  your  mother  at  Clarence  near  Buffalo. 
My  letter,  dated  the  12th  of  May,  just  said:  'Send  the 
goods  to  Sandusky,  yourself  be  at  Cleveland  a  month 
hence.' 

"This  done,  I  went  on  my  journey  by  way  of  Day- 
ton, Lebanon,  Cincinnati,  Williamsburg,  Newmarket, 
Chillicothe,  Circleville,  Lancaster,  and  thence  to  Co- 


Organizing  Parishes  and  Farm  113 

lumbus.  At  Worthington  I  held  service  the  first  Sun- 
day in  June,  and  the  same  week  I  promised  to  become 
the  rector  of  St.  John's  Church,  Worthington,  Trinity 
Church,  Columbus,  and  St.  Peter's  Church,  Delaware, 
fifteen  miles  north ;  bought  five  lots  in  this  village  and 
a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  on  the  way  to 
Columbus, — good  land,  sixty  acres  under  cultivation, 
good  apple  and  peach  orchard,  fruit  plenty,  no  build- 
ings. 

"I  received  from  the  trustees  of  Worthington  Acad- 
emy the  appointment  of  Principal.  Monday,  the  9th, 
I  set  my  face  toward  Cleveland,  to  fulfil  my  appoint- 
ment with  your  mother.  The  week  previous  I  went 
to  Delaware,  Thursday  to  Norton  on  the  frontier. 
Returned  to  Delaware,  and  on  Sunday  held  divine  ser- 
vice and  administered  the  Communion  in  Berkshire, 
where  there  is  a  parish  to  which  I  shall  minister  until 
it  can  be  otherwise  supplied. 

"After  starting  for  Cleveland  on  Monday,  my  course 
was  northeast,  travelled  twenty-two  miles  on  a  bad 
road  to  Frederick,  a  settlement  on  the  head-waters  of 
the  Licking  River.  Thursday,  rode  through  a  fine 
dry  chestnut  and  oak  country,  thirty-six  miles,  to  the 
Lake  Fork  of  the  Mehicken,  which  empties  into  the 
White  Woman  at  Coshocton.  On  Wednesday,  rode 
towards  Worster,  twelve  miles  to  dinner  through  a 
country  similar  to  that  of  yesterday.  Here  I  took  a 
northerly  direction  through  a  country  just  beginning 
to  be  settled,  soil  very  rich  and  roads  muddy.  Next 
day  went  twelve  miles  to  Medina — to  be  the  county 
seat,  soil  very  rich,  beautifully  situated.  Next  day, 
Friday,  held  divine  service  in  Medina  and  rode  on  to 
Liverpool,  eight  miles,  where  I  held  service  again  the 


114  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

same  day.  Saturday  it  rained  all  day,  rode  only  two 
miles  to  another  lodging  place.  Sunday,  rode  in 
the  morning  four  miles  to  Columbia,  where  live  the 
brothers  of  the  Rev.  A.  Bronson,  of  Vermont.  Here  I 
preached,  morning  and  evening,  and  was  much  cheered 
by  the  prospects  of  the  Church. 

"Monday,  June  i6,  1817,  a  day  marked  in  my  calen- 
dar, I  mounted  my  horse  for  Cleveland,  now  twenty 
miles  off.  I  was  in  company  with  Esq.  Bronson. 
Crossing  the  Rocky  River  twice  without  any  accident 
though  the  water  was  deep  and  no  bridge,  I  found  we 
were  on  the  ridge  road  which  is  all  along  the  lake  sandy, 
and  very  good.  My  horse  somehow  or  other  kept  the 
lead  and  went  very  fast.  'What  's  the  matter? '  said 
Mr.  Bronson.  'Are  you  riding  for  a  wager? '  'Some- 
thing more  important,'  said  I.  'I  can  guess  what  that 
is,'  said  he. 

"At  half-past  one  I  dismounted  from  my  horse  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Cuyahoga  River,  opposite  Cleveland. 
Safe  in  the  boat.  'Pray  Mr.  Boatman  have  you  any 
late  arrivals  from  Buffalo?'  'Yes,  the  Michigayi  lies 
off  and  has  just  brought  her  passengers  ashore. '  '  Were 
there  any  ladies  aboard?'  'Yes,  there  were  two,  who, 
with  a  young  gentleman,  had  charge  of  a  child.  They 
have  just  gone  up  town.'  'Pray,  Landlord,'  said  I  as  I 
entered  an  inn,  *do  you  know  or  can  you  tell  me,  who 
— where — I  can  find — '  'Your  family,  Mr.  Chase? 
Yes,  we  know  you  and  them  ;  thej^  are  at  a  tavern  safe 
and  sound,  waiting  for  you.' 

"It  seems  my  arrival  had  been  known  from  one  end 
of  the  village  to  the  other.  Soon  had  I  your  dear 
mother  and  little  brother  in  my  arms,  blessing  God  in 
one  breath  and  asking  a  thousand  questions  in  another. 


Organizing  Parishes  and  Farm  115 

"Tuesday  I  had  service  at  Cleveland.  Wednesday 
I  left  your  mother  to  return  my  horse,  which  through 
all  my  journeyings  was  a  borrowed  one.  The  owner 
(God  bless  him !)  lived  sixty  miles  east  of  Cleveland  at 
Windsor,  which  you  will  remember  was  where  I  organ- 
ized my  first  parish  in  Ohio.  Thither,  then,  I  went, 
leaving  your  mother  and  her  precious  charge,  to  steer 
her  course  in  the  first  inland  navigation  wagon,  of 
which  there  are  many  of  great  convenience  and  safety, 
passing  from  Cleveland  to  Canton. 

"Next  day,  Friday,  mounted  my  horse  with  a  pros- 
pect of  twelve  miles  through  a  mere  forest  to  Windsor, 
In  half  an  hour  it  began  to  rain  in  sheets  through  the 
whole  distance.  Oh !  if  you  could  have  seen  me 
plunging  through  the  deepest  mire,  midrib  to  my 
horse,  wet  the  blessed  while  as  water  could  make  me. 
But  the  trouble  is  over,  I  arrived  safely  among  my 
loving  Christian  friends  and  all  was  well. 

"On  Saturday  we  had  service, — a  large  congregation, 
and  all  rejoiced  to  see  me.  On  Sunday,  I  held  service 
all  day  and  gave  the  Communion  to  twenty-three, 
where  till  last  Easter  the  Holy  Sacrament  had  never 
been  given  since  the  creation  of  the  world. 

"Monday,  with  a  man  carrying  my  trunk  which  I 
had  left  in  Windsor,  I  went  over  my  old  route  to 
Parkman  and  Ravenna,  the  county  seat  where  the 
court  was  in  session,  I  had  service  at  Ravenna, — the 
congregation  very  large,  church  much  increased.  Here 
I  saw  Mr.  B.  of  Vermont.  He  told  me  (will  you  be- 
lieve it?)  that  he  left  Mrs.  Chase  and  family  safe  and 
well  in  Canton.  What  news  for  me!  At  least  four 
days  sooner  than  I  expected.  On  Wednesday  night  I 
was  with  them  again,  rejoicing. 


ii6  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

"The  same  evening  I  hired  a  wagon,  good  and  new, 
with  two  fine  horses,  and  Tuesday  morning  started 
with  bag  and  baggage.  Here  we  cut  a  figure.  Good 
roads  and  luck  through  Kendal  seventeen  miles,  stayed 
at  a  mere  hut.  On  Friday  started  in  good  spirits,  but 
what?  Never  were  such  roads,  the  horses  'stalled.* 
This  is  the  term  given  to  that  very  pleasant  position 
moving  people  are  in,  who  get  stuck  in  the  mud  and 
have  to  get  oxen  to  draw  them  out.  And  we  got  on 
but  twelve  miles  the  whole  blessed  day,  and  even  that 
would  not  have  been  accomplished  had  I  not  hired  the 
third  horse. 

"At  Worster  I  entered  upon  my  old  track,  but  there 
had  been  so  much  rain  that  it  could  not  be  followed 
by  reason  of  an  inundated  prairie.  A  Mr.  Skinner  said 
that  he  would  go  with  us  and  help  us  to  get  over  the 
Lake  Fork  of  the  Mehicken,  at  a  place  three  miles  be- 
fore we  came  to  his  house,  where  some  of  the  party  at 
least  might  stay  over  the  night. 

"The  sun  was  an  hour  and  a  half  high  when  we 
reached  the  river,  not  very  wide,  but  deep  and  rapid. 
Two  or  three  men  were  with  Mr.  Skinner's  wagon,  and 
there  were  two  or  three  sons  of  the  forest  who  had  come 
to  help  us,  well  acquainted  with  the  water  and  good 
swimmers.  They  were  from  fourteen  to  sixteen  years 
old  and  the  most  alert  and  obliging  fellows  I  ever 
saw. 

"The  only  means  of  transportation  we  had  was  a 
canoe  from  twelve  to  fifteen  feet  long,  and  broad 
enough  in  the  broadest  place  for  a  man  of  my  size  to 
sit  down  by  squeezing  a  little.  Well! — how  sped  we? 
The  horses  were  first  mounted  one  by  one,  six  in  num- 
ber, by  our  brave  young  lads  and  plunged  headlong 


Organizing  Parishes  and  Farm         1 1 7 

into  the  rapid  current.  Pray  fancy  to  yourself  this 
lively  scene,  your  mother  with  your  little  brother  in 
her  arms,  who  could  scarcely  be  restrained  from  [jump- 
ing out  for]  love  of  the  wild  flowers  on  the  bank,  and 
Elmira  sitting  on  the  baggage.  The  young  woodsmen 
mounted  the  horses  with  more  adroitness  than  a  riding 
master,  without  a  bridle,  and  dashed  them  down  the 
steep  bank  into  the  stream,  to  them,  bottomless.  The 
first  you  would  see  after  this  would  be  the  heads  of 
the  boys  and  the  horses,  and  then,  from  the  re-bound 
and  struggle  of  the  animal,  the  forelegs  striking  in 
quick  succession  the  swift  surface  of  the  stream ;  then 
by  cufifing  one  side  and  then  the  other,  as  they  steered 
up  or  down  the  stream,  the  boys  got  them  safely  across, 
and  the  horses  were  soon  feeding  in  the  green  pastures 
on  the  other  side. 

"Now  for  our  wagons,  our  baggage,  and  our  precious 
selves !  The  bodies  of  the  wagons  were  poised  on  our 
little  canoe,  a  pound's  weight  would  seem  to  be  fatal 
on  either  side,  yet  the  lads  managed  them.  Did  you 
ever  see  rope  dancers.^  I  have,  and  I  assure  you  it  was 
nothing  to  this.  The  boys  stood  on  the  bow  and  stern 
of  the  little  canoe  and  got  everything  across  the  flow- 
ing tide.  The  wheels  were  transported  in  the  same 
way,  and  such  was  the  smallness  of  the  skiff  and  the 
rapidity  of  the  current  that  the  wheels,  as  the  bow  of 
the  canoe  was  kept  nearly  up  the  stream,  were  set 
in  motion  as  if  they  were  on  land  propelled  by  a 
horse. 

"Then  with  your  little  brother  in  my  arms  I  com- 
mitted myself  to  the  mere  pig's  trough.  Did  I  look 
back  to  your  mother  as  we  pushed  this  precious  load 
from  the  firm  land?     I  did;    a  mother's  prayer  was 


ii8  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

read    in    every    feature,    and    a  mother's   prayer   was 
graciously  answered.     We  got  safe  to  shore, 

"What  think  you  of  my  feehngs  as  our  brave  lads 
took  on  board  their  next  precious  cargo,  your  mother 
and  Aunt  Elmira?  I  watched  the  motion  of  the  little 
ark  of  safety  till  all  was  well, 

"Unconscious  of  its  speed  we  saw  not  the  fast-setting 
sun,  and  the  shades  of  evening  were  upon  us.  It  bade 
us  make  haste  and  be  off.  Our  carriage  was  soon 
ready,  our  goods  replaced,  and  we  went  on  our  way  to 
the  very  new  settlement,  where  Mr.  Skinner  was  be- 
ginning to  make  his  home  and  where  he  opened  his 
farm  and  plantation  three  months  ago.  Good  cheer 
made  amends  for  the  dangers  we  had  suffered.  In  the 
morning  (Sunday)  it  rained,  and  we  had  two  more 
forks  to  pass.  At  this  hour  they  were  fordable,  but 
might  not  be  so  with  an  hour's  rain.  To  go  on  was  a 
necessity.  On  Monday  through  the  bad  roads  we 
reached  Frederick.  On  Monday  to  Berkshire,  on 
Tuesday  to  Worthington. 

"The  next  day,  although  much  fatigued,  your 
mother  went  to  see  my  farm,  and,  happy  I  am  to  say, 
she  is  pleased  beyond  my  expectations.  The  apples 
are  fit  to  make  pies,  and  the  peaches  almost  begin  to 
blush.  I  am  now  very  busy  in  building  a  barn  and 
farmhouse.  As  to  my  house  in  town,  it  must  be  left 
until  I  am  better  prepared. 

"My  dear  George,  remember  my  prayer  is  always 
for  you,  that  you  may  be  kept  in  peace,  in  health,  and 
safe  from  sin.  Do  nothing  without  your  uncle's  ad- 
vice. Write  to  me  often,  and  remember  with  what 
tender  affection  I  am     Your  Father, 

"Philander  Chase." 


Organizing  Parishes  and  Farm  119 

"In  closing  this  letter  long  years  after,"  says  Mr. 
Chase,  "I  am  thrilled  with  the  memories  of  the  days 
when  it  was  written  ;  the  son  to  whom  it  was  addressed 
has  long  since  gone,  and  his  younger  brother  also. 
Their  dear  mother  went  away  even  before  the  sons, 
yet  the  providence  and  goodness  of  God  remain  as 
fresh  to  me  as  ever:  the  same  hand  that  then  upheld 
me  and  kept  me  and  them  in  His  care,  now  sustains 
the  aged  frame  of  the  husband  and  father  in  the  dis- 
charge of  his  overwhelming  duties  and  in  sustaining 
his  painful  trials." 


CHAPTER  XV 

LIFE   AT   WORTHINGTON 

OF  the  mind  and  character  and  Christian  sentiments 
of  the  wife  and  mother  spoken  of  by  Mr,  Chase 
in  the  preceding  letter,  one  may  judge  from  a  letter 
written  in  1817  to  a  dear  friend,  Mrs.  Mary  Tudor, 
whom  she  had  left  in  her  happy  home  in  Hartford, 
Connecticut : 

"My  dear  Mrs.  Tudor : 

"It  is  not  because  I  have  forgotten  my  good  friends 
in  Hartford,  or  my  promise  to  you  in  particular,  that 
I  have  delayed  so  long  in  fulfilling  it.  Indeed  so  rapid 
and  unexpected,  and  so  evidently  directed  by  Divine 
wisdom,  are  the  late  scenes  of  my  life,  that  I  have  had 
no  time  but  to  wonder  and  be  grateful. 

"On  the  13th  of  May,  just  before  sunset,  I  imprinted 
the  last  kiss  on  the  cheek  of  my  son  George,  who  had 
lingered  behind  the  carriage  unwilling  to  take  his  final 
leave  of  his  mother  and  little  brother;  to  say  with  what 
emotion  I  drew  down  the  curtain  would  be  impossible. 
'Father  of  Mercies!  '  said  I  in  my  heart  as  I  took  my 
last  view  of  the  place  where  I  had  once  hoped  to  spend 
my  days.  'Into  Thy  hands  I  commend  myself  and 
the  events  of  my  future  life.  Whatever  it  be  Thy  will 
to  inflict,  give  me  grace  to  endure,  and  whatever  of 


Life  at  Worthington  121 

prosperity  Thou  hast  in  store  for  me,  give  me  grace  to 
be  thankful.  Preserve,  O  God,  the  life  and  health  of 
my  dear  husband  and  for  the  rest ' '  Thy  will  be  done. ' '  ' 

"The  Sunday  after  I  left  Hartford,  I  spent  in  Utica, 
where  several  friends  called  upon  me.  At  Canandaigua 
Miss  Clark,  Miss  Chapin  and  Miss  Holley.  There  is  a 
beautiful  church  here,  built  since  these  young  ladies 
returned  from  Mrs.  Royce's  school,  and  they  have  in 
their  clergyman  a  very  amiable  and  promising  young 
man — Mr.  Onderdonk  of  New  York. 

"On  the  tenth  day  after  I  left  Hartford  I  reached 
Batavia  without  accident,  and  in  much  better  health 
and  spirits  than  when  I  set  out  upon  my  journey.  At 
this  place  I  left  the  stage  coach  and  hired  a  wagon  to 
take  me  to  my  sister's  in  Clarence.  On  the  evening  of 
the  25th  we  arrived  in  safety  at  the  habitation  of  my 
sister,  and  were  welcomed  with  much  cordiality  to  the 
woods  and  the  comforts  of  an  infant  settlement.  The 
next  day,  without  allowing  myself  time  to  rest,  I  set 
about  arranging  things  for  a  summer  residence  in  the 
woods. 

"A  fortnight  passed  away  and  I  was  content  and 
happy,  anxious  only  to  hear  from  my  husband,  of 
whom  I  had  no  intelligence.  On  the  9th  of  June,  a 
person  who  had  been  at  Buffalo  on  business,  brought 
me  a  letter  from  Mr.  Chase,  which  said  'I  am  on  my 
way  to  Cincinnati;  in  good  health.  Send  the  goods 
to  Sandusky  and  come  yourself  in  a  packet  to  Cleve- 
land where  I  will,  (God  willing)  meet  you  by  the  middle 
of  next  month,  with  wagons,  horses,  conductors,  etc., 
to  your  heart's  content.'  Dated  at  Columbus,  May 
I2th,  1817. 

"I  found  I  had  no  time  to  lose  and  immediately  set 


122  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

about  preparing  myself  for  the  journey.  At  the  same 
time,  it  set  in  to  rain  and  it  was  not  until  the  15th  of 
the  month  at  4  P.M.  that  I  was  able  to  go  on  board  for 
Cleveland.  The  wind  was  fair  and  the  hope  of  soon 
meeting  my  husband  put  me  in  good  spirits. 

"  'I  think  you  have  been  at  sea,'  said  a  passenger, 
'and  must  be  acquainted  with  the  danger  of  overloading 
the  vessel.  Pray,  do  you  not  think  we  are  in  danger  if 
we  should  have  a  blow? ' 

"We  had  beside  other  lading,  nine  hundred  barrels 
of  salt  on  board.  For  a  moment  Hope  let  go  her 
anchor ! 

"I  was  safely  landed  at  Cleveland  on  the  17th  of 
June  about  10  A.M.  and  with  other  passengers  went  to 
the  only  decent  public  house  in  the  place.  As  soon  as 
I  arrived  and  the  host  appeared,  I  asked  him  if  there 
was  a  clergyman  here  by  the  name  of  Chase.  'No.' 
'Has  there  been  any  one  here  of  that  name? '  'No.  A 
Mr.  Searle  has  been  here,  but  no  Mr.  Chase.'  I  then 
directed  my  brother  to  go  to  the  post-office  for  letters. 
He  returned  in  a  moment  with  no  letter.  Not  more 
than  ten  minutes  passed,  when  a  gentleman  inquired 
for  Mrs.  Chase,  and  when  he  was  shown  into  the  room 
said  that  he  had  just  heard  of  my  arrival  and  thought 
it  would  be  gratifying  to  me  to  learn  something  of  my 
husband!  'I  heard  him  preach  yesterday,'  said  he, 
'and  he  will  be  here  in  a  few  hours.' 

"In  a  few  hours,  indeed  only  three,  I  found  myself 
in  my  dear  husband's  arms.  He  is  browner  and  older, 
but  in  good  health  and  spirits.  May  the  goodness  of 
God  to  me  this  day  forever  warm  and  animate  my 
spirit ! 

"We  were  in  Cleveland  two  days,  and  then  Mr.  Chase 


Life  at  Worthington  123 

left  us  to  visit  some  of  the  newly  formed  parishes  on 
the  Reserve  and  to  return  a  horse  loaned  him  to  visit 
throughout  the  State. 

"I  and  my  family  proceeded  in  a  covered  wagon  to 
Canton,  where  we  waited  four  days  for  Mr.  Chase;  he 
having  joined  us,  we  again  set  forward,  passing  through 
Kendal  to  Worster,  distant  thirty-five  miles  from  Can- 
ton, over  the  worst  roads  that  can  be  imagined.  From 
Worster  to  Frederick,  forty  miles,  the  roads  are  good, 
and  the  country  delightful.  Indeed  when  I  passed 
over  this  part  of  the  country  I  forgave  those  writers 
who,  in  describing  this  new  world  appear  rather  to  be 
speaking  of  a  world  of  imagination  than  one  of  reality. 
This  country  is  varied  with  hill  and  upland,  and  one 
may  fancy  the  prairies  to  be  cultivated  meadows 
adorned  with  beautiful  and  fragrant  wild  flowers,  and 
skirted  with  a  mingling  of  wild  plum  and  crab-apple. 
The  uplands  are  gently  ascending  and  thinly  scattered 
with  beautiful  forest  trees.  Here  one  may  imagine 
some  gentleman  of  taste  and  fortune  has  fixed  his 
residence,  and  in  adorning  the  lands  about  his  home 
has  so  artfully  disposed  his  vines  and  trees  as  to  be 
taken  for  Nature's  rival.  Were  it  not  for  the  certainty 
that  this  beautiful  and  picturesque  country  is  inhabited 
by  persons  not  famous  for  neatness,  taste  or  civiliza- 
tion, one  would  imagine  some  castle  or  villa  amid 
scenery  so  delightful. 

"From  Frederick  to  this  place,  the  soil  is  rich  but 
the  country  is  new,  yet  everywhere  affording  abundance 
where  man  is  not  sparing  of  his  labor.  On  the  first  day 
of  July  we  arrived  at  this  place. 

"I  cannot  tell  you  with  what  emotions  I  beheld  this 
spot,  which  is  probably  to  be  my  home  for  life.     At 


124  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

any  rate,  if  I  should  ever  be  called  upon  to  seek  a  new 
home  again,  I  shall  be  spared  the  pain  of  breaking 
attachments  and  separating  from  friends  as  much  to 
be  valued  for  their  mental  attainments  as  for  their 
Christian  lives.  But  may  God  avert  the  necessity  of 
another  removal. 

"With  my  husband  and  children  around  me  and 
living  in  the  midst  of  people  on  whom  the  ordinances 
of  religion  have  a  beneficial  influence,  and  where  the 
sphere  of  my  husband's  influence  is  greatly  enlarged,  I 
am  content  till  the  Great  Shepherd  shall  call  me  to  the 
fold  of  everlasting  rest. 

"Oh  !  if  there  is  anything  that  wholly  weans  us  from 
the  world,  it  is  having  no  place  in  it  that  one  can  call 
home,  living  like  our  ancient  exemplars,  'strangers  and 
pilgrims  '  even  in  a  land  of  promise. 

"  Worthington,  the  place  of  our  present  residence,  is 
pleasantly  situated  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Whetstone, 
one  of  the  branches  of  the  Scioto  River.  It  is  but 
thirteen  years  since  the  first  family  moved  into  this 
wilderness.  The  settlers  are  for  the  most  part  from 
New  England,  sober  and  industrious  people. 

"There  is  a  large  brick  academy  with  several  hand- 
some brick  houses ;  a  large  cotton  factory  and  a  church 
are  to  be  built  next  year.  Mr.  Chase  is  appointed 
principal  of  the  Academy,  an  ofiice  at  present  merely 
nominal.  This  is  the  field  designed  for  Philander,  if 
it  shall  please  God  to  preserve  his  life  and  health  and 
to  keep  him  'unspotted  from  the  world.' 

"To  you,  who  can  so  readily  enter  into  my  feelings, 
I  can  say,  that  if  any  evil  should  come  to  this  dear  boy, 
it  would  require  the  utmost  exertion  of  my  Christian 
faith  with  unfeigned  sincerity  and  resignation  to  say 


Life  at  Worthington  125 

'Thy  will  be  done  ' ;  knowing  my  own  heart,  I  pray  to 
our  Father  in  Heaven  that  He  will  spare  me  the  trial 
I  should  be  so  little  able  to  bear. 

"I  endured  the  journey  hither  much  better  than 
could  have  been  imagined,  but  my  little  Dudley  has 
not  been  so  well  and  requires  much  care." 

Here  this  letter  was  laid  aside  and  nothing  was  added 
to  it  until  October  20th,  a  period  of  several  months, 
during  which  the  brave  heart  of  this  gentle  and  lovely 
woman  had  evidently  been  fighting  with  homesickness 
in  the  strange  and  ungenial  conditions  of  life  in  a  new 
country,  where  competent  nurses  and  ordinary  house- 
hold service  could  not  be  obtained.  Ill  herself,  and 
gradually  sinking  with  that  illusive  disease,  consump- 
tion, and  with  her  little  son  seriously  ill,  she  evidently 
rallied  all  her  failing  strength  to  do  her  utmost  to  live 
for  the  sake  of  those  she  loved.  This  touching  letter 
is  resumed  October  20,  181 7: 

"You  see,  my  dear  Mrs.  Tudor,  by  the  different 
dates  of  my  letter  that  I  have  long  been  neglectful  of 
my  acknowledged  obligation.  This  is  owing  to  my 
baby's  illness  and  that  we  are  unable  to  procure  any 
help.  With  a  sick  child  who  requires  by  day  and 
night  my  constant  care,  it  was  not  surprising  that  this 
state  of  things  should  bring  on  my  old  trouble,  hemor- 
rhage of  the  lungs.  This  brought  on  so  great  a  weak- 
ness at  times,  that  I  could  scarcely  arise  from  my  bed, 
but  as  the  weather  became  cooler  and  the  little  boy  is 
better,  I  think  I  am  somewhat  improved.  The  weather 
is  fine  and  I  have  been  able  of  late  to  ride  every  morn- 
ing, which  has  contributed  much  to  my  health  and  to 


126  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

that  of  my  little  son.     May  I  be  duly  thankful  for  all 
my  blessings. 

"I  have  just  learned  by  a  letter  from  Philander  of 
the  alarming  sickness  which  prevails  at  Cambridge. 
May  the  good  God  protect  my  boy !  I  know  not  how 
it  is,  nor  why  it  is,  but  my  heart  has  been  full  of 
anxiety  ever  since  I  have  been  in  this  place.  My  im- 
agination is  not  apt  to  get  the  better  of  my  judgment, 
but  in  this  case  I  own  myself  to  be  a  very  child. 

"I  hope  all  Mr.  Chase's  friends  will  forgive  him  for 
his  seeming  want  of  attention  to  them.  He  has 
scarcely  an  unoccupied  moment ;  the  care  of  his 
parishes  and  of  the  infant  church  in  this  new  world, 
and  the  necessity  of  providing  a  shelter  for  his  family 
during  the  coming  winter,  completely  fill  his  time. 

"Tell  dear  Mrs.  Adams  that  I  have  the  satisfaction 
of  informing  her  that  I  am  not  likely  to  become  the 
joint  inhabitant  with  the  pigs  and  fowls  of  a  log  cabin, 
and  though  we  have  not  everything  we  could  wish  for, 
we  have  enough  to  be  thankful  for. 

"Among  those  I  knew  in  Hartford  I  know  of  none 
whom  I  am  likely  to  forget. 

"My  illness  and  that  of  my  family  must  apologize 
for  my  delay  in  writing;  even  now,  I  write  with  my 
boy  at  my  elbow,  talking  or  crying,  while  on  the  other 
hand  is  the  daily  provision  for  my  family. 

"Remember  me  most  affectionately  to  Mr.  Tudor, 
and  may  God  have  you  both  in  His  Holy  Keeping. 
"Ever  your  friend, 

"Mary  Chase. 
"Mrs.  Mary  Tudor." 

Letter  from  Mary  Chase  to  her  son  George,  giving 
impressions  of  the  early  days  at  Worthington : 


Life  at  Worthington  127 

"  Worthington,  Ohio,  Nov.  nth,  1817. 

"My  dear  SON: 

"By  Mr.  Russell  I  write  you  for  the  first  time  since 
my  arrival  in  this  new  world.  Not  that  I  have  ceased 
to  think  of  you  very  often  and  to  pray  God  for  you, 
with  a  fervor  of  a  fond  parent  separated  from  her  dar- 
ling children.  O,  when  I  meet  you  again,  may  I  find 
you  such  as  my  heart  will  fondly  acknowledge  and  my 
mind  justly  commend ! 

"Your  father  having  written  to  both  of  you,  when 
we  first  came  here,  and  given  a  description  both  of 
our  journey  and  situation  in  this  place,  our  hopes  and 
prospects  to  come,  it  remains  to  me  only  to  pick  up 
the  scraps  of  information  which  may  perhaps  be  links 
in  the  chain  of  the  information  communicated  to  you 
by  your  father. 

"It  was  rather  a  singular  circumstance  in  the  events 
of  my  life  that  the  first  intelligence  I  should  receive  of 
you  after  my  arrival  in  this  country,  should  have  been 
by  the  way  of  the  President  of  the  United  States.' 
Yet  so  is  the  fact ;  he  said  he  saw  you  and  left  you  in 
good  health  with  your  uncle  in  Vermont. 

"Your  father  has  quite  recovered  his  health  since  his 
coming  to  this  country,  and  he  enters  into  the  business 
of  farming  with  the  enthusiasm  which  is  so  peculiar  to 
himself.  He  has  been  setting  out  apple  trees,  and  six 
hundred  is  to  complete  his  orchard  for  the  present. 
Peach  and  apple  trees  there  are  now  growing  and  pro- 
ducing fruit;  a  nursery  and  a  variety  of  other  fruit 
trees  will  complete  the  projects  of  the  present  year. 

"Little  Dud  is  full  of  mischief  as  he  can  be,  and 
altogether  a  most  lovely  and    interesting  boy.     His 

'  James  Monroe. 


128  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

hair  is  rather  long  with  a  curl  at  the  ends,  soft  and 
glossy,  his  eyes  bright  with  intelligence,  rosy  cheeks,  a 
double  chin,  and  is  altogether  one  of  the  best  formed 
children  I  have  ever  seen,  insomuch  that  a  lady  told 
me  she  would  take  him  for  a  model  if  she  were  going 
to  draw  a  Cupid ;  and  as  to  his  mind  (thanks  to  a 
merciful  Creator)  it  is  by  no  means  below  mediocrity. 
He  has  (what  I  dare  say  will  please  you)  an  evident 
partiality  for  martial  music,  and  will  dance  and  march 
with  all  the  fervor  imaginable.  Without  being  able 
yet  to  speak  plainly  he  will  point  out  a  number  of  the 
letters,  and  seems  to  delight  to  be  able  to  do  so.  He 
is  persevering  in  his  disposition,  but  will  relinquish  his 
most  favorite  pursuit  out  of  affection  to  his  friends. 
Blessed  be  God  for  all  His  mercies  to  me,  in  making 
me  the  parent  of  children  with  so  many  and  rich  en- 
dowments. May  neither  I  nor  they  forget  that  the 
life  and  talents  He  has  given  were  for  improvement  and 
for  eternity,  and  when  we  go  thither,  may  none  of  us 
be  wanting. 

"My  health  has  not  been  very  good  since  I  have  been 
in  this  country,  but  is  better  now  than  it  has  been. 

"A  blessing  seems  to  be  attending  everything  rela- 
tive to  our  coming  into  this  country.  Our  journey 
and  meeting  were  next  to  a  miracle,  and  everything 
we  have  put  our  hands  to  do  seems  to  have  had  the 
Divine  blessing  added.  May  I  ever  be  duly  sensible 
of  and  thankful  for  all  the  mercies  of  God  toward  me 
and  mine;  and  what  shall  I  say  more — be  a  good  boy 
and  remember  that  you  are  as  a  son  to  your  uncle  and 
aunt ;  never  forfeit  their  love  for  you  by  any  downright 
disrespect  or  disobedience.  Friendship  is  easily  kept, 
but  when  lost  is  not  easily  regained,  and  you  are  now 


Life  at  Worthington  129 

arrived  to  manhood,  and  what  was  excused  and  for- 
given in  the  child  will  long  be  remembered  in  the  man. 
"I  do  not  feel  quite  well  or  I  believe  I  should  not 
have  written  you  quite  so  dull  a  letter  and  one  so  little 
interesting,  but  my  spirits  are  not  always  good,  and 
when  I  think  of  the  distance  between  me  and  my  chil- 
dren, I  am  quite  in  the  blues;  but  now  I  can  do  noth- 
ing for  them  but  commit  them  with  my  blessing  into 
the  hands  of  a  merciful  God.  May  He  have  them  now 
and  ever  in  His  Holy  keeping. 

"Mary  Chase." 
9 


CHAPTER  XVI 

LABOR   AND   SORROW 

OF  this  time,  the  fall  of  the  year  1817,  Mr.  Chase 
says: 

"The  declining  health  of  Mrs.  Chase  was  the  sub- 
ject of  the  deepest  solicitude  and  incessant  watchful- 
ness,which,  joined  to  the  care  of  building  and  furnishing 
a  comfortable  home  for  my  family  during  the  coming 
winter,  caused  the  circle  of  my  duties  as  missionary  to 
be  somewhat  confined.  Worthington  was  given  half 
my  services,  and  Delaware  and  Berkshire  each  its 
portion.  In  these  alone  I  baptized  more  than  one 
hundred,  and  before  winter  the  communicants  had  in- 
creased from  a  very  few  to  sixty-five." 

On  the  5th  of  January,  1818,  there  was  holden,  ac- 
cording to  previous  notice,  a  Convention  of  the  Prot- 
estant Episcopal  Church  at  Columbus,  Ohio,  nearly  in 
the  centre  of  the  State.  It  consisted  of  two  clergymen 
in  full  orders  and  nine  delegates  only ;  and  though  few 
in  number,  they  proceeded  with  the  order  and  regu- 
larity required  in  the  most  numerous  assemblies.  They 
had  met  together  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  and  His 
blessing  they  implored.  A  President  and  Secretary 
were  appointed,  and  the  following  resolution  was 
unanimously  adopted  previously  to  all  other  business. 

''Resolved:  That  we,  the  members  of  this  Conven- 

130 


Labor  and  Sorrow  131 

tion,  are  in  communion  with  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church  in  the  United  States  of  America,  and  also  that 
we  do  unanimously  adopt  the  general  constitution  and 
canons  of  said  Church." 

At  this  Convention,  a  diocesan  constitution  was 
adopted,  a  report  made  on  the  state  of  the  Church, 
and  a  committee  of  respectable  persons  appointed, 
whose  duty  it  should  be  to  raise  means  for  the  support 
of  a  bishop.  At  the  close  of  the  proceedings  of  the 
convention,  is  the  following  record  : 

''Resolved :  That  the  members  of  this  Convention 
view  with  lively  emotions  of  pleasure  the  flourishing, 
though  infant  state  of  our  Church  in  Ohio,  and  that 
the  committee  earnestly  recommends  to  the  several 
parishes  in  the  State  that  each  send  at  least  one  dele- 
gate to  the  convention  to  meet  in  Worthington  on  the 
first  Monday  in  June  next. 

"Philander  Chase, 

*'  President  of  Convention. 
"David  Prince, 

' '  Secretary. ' ' 

This  was  indeed  the  day  of  small  things,  as  shown 
in  the  above  Convention,  but  the  spirit  of  its  members, 
its  unanimity,  its  hopefulness  promised  well  for  what 
has  been  accomplished  in  the  Church  of  the  Living 
God  since  this  event,  now  eighty-four  years  in  the  past. 

In  the  mind  of  the  dear  wife  and  loving  mother, 
whose  year  of  life  with  her  husband,  in  this  new  land, 
was  now  drawing  to  a  close,  this  meeting  of  the  small 
number  of  churchmen  was  in  reality  the  planting  of  a 
standard  in  this  Western  world,  which  would  gather  the 


132  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

soldiers  of  the  Cross  to  contend  for  the  "faith  once  de- 
Hvered  to  the  Saints  "  to  the  end  of  the  world.  To 
quote  from  the  Renimiscences: 

"To  her  eye  it  was  like  the  little  cloud  arising  from 
the  sea  betokening  abundance  of  rain  in  spiritual 
showers  upon  a  dry  and  parched  land.  All  therefore 
who  were  present  at  this  convention  were  treated  by 
her  with  the  utmost  respect,  as  instruments  in  God's 
hands  of  planting  the  Church;  she  honored  them  and 
gave  them  all  the  attention,  personally,  her  feeble 
frame  would  permit." 

From  that  time  she  failed ;  her  prayers  that  she 
might  be  spared  the  agony  of  losing  her  dear  son  were 
granted.  Not  in  the  way  her  friends  would  have 
chosen.  She  went  on  her  way  to  the  world  of  light 
and  life,  patiently  and  humbly  bending  her  sweet  spirit 
to  the  will  of  God,  blessing  her  beloved  husband  and 
children  with  her  last  breath  when,  on  the  fifth  day  of 
May,  1 818,  she  found  her  rest.  A  little  less  than  a 
year  ago,  she  had  left  her  dear  home  in  Hartford, 
where  her  life  had  been  surrounded  by  the  loving 
presence  of  congenial  friends,  and  where  her  sons  now 
in  college  could  spend  their  holidays  with  her.  This 
happy  circle  was  now  broken,  her  first-born  son  who 
had  been  kissed  for  the  last  time  on  the  day  she  left, 
she  never  saw  again ;  and  her  son  at  Harvard,  the  be- 
loved Philander,  also  never  met  his  mother  again  in 
this  life.  Within  a  few  years  these  beautiful  boys  too 
had  passed  beyond.  The  little  son  Dudley,  who  could 
not  feel  his  loss,  was  alone  left  of  those  whom  she  had 
loved,  and  for  whose  welfare  her  life  had  been  one  con- 
tinual prayer.  There  were  other  friends,  dear  brothers 
and  sisters  in  Vermont,  who  would  all  gladly  have 


Labor  and  Sorrow  133 

ministered  to  her  comfort,  and  who  by  the  stern  neces- 
sities of  Hfe  were  deprived  of  this  privilege.  And  thus 
this  beloved  woman  died,  and  was  buried  under  the 
chancel  window  of  the  new  church  at  Worthington. 
Her  prayer  was  answered  that  she  might  never  be 
called  upon  to  find  a  second  home,  or  to  endure  the 
sorrow  of  parting  again  from  those  she  loved. 

The  tablet  to  the  memory  of  Mary  Chase,  in  the 
church  at  Worthington,  bears  this  inscription  • 

'*  SACRED 

TO   THE    MEMORY   OF   MARY   CHASE 

FIRST  WIFE  OF  THE  FIRST  BISHOP  OF  OHIO 

PHILANDER  CHASE,  SEN.  D.D. 

AND  DAUGHTER  OF  DANIEL  AND  MARY  FAY 

BORN  AT  BETHEL,  VERMONT,   1779 

MARRIED  JULY  I9TH,   1 796 

DIED  MAY  5TH,   1818 

IN  THE  FAITH  OF  THE  ATONEMENT 

BY   THIS   FAITH   SHE   LIVED    THE   LIFE    OF    THE 

RIGHTEOUS.      IN  DEATH  SHE  HAD  THE  HOPE  OF 

A   BLESSED   RESURRECTION   TO    ETERNAL   LIFE." 

**  THIS  TABLET  IS  INSCRIBED  BY  THOSE  WHO 
KNEW  HER  MANY  VIRTUES  AND  WHO  HOPE 
BY  FOLLOWING  HER  EXAMPLE  TO  MEET 
HER    IN    ANOTHER    AND    BETTER    WORLD." 

To  the  husband  and  father,  there  was  little  time  for 
the  luxury  of  sorrow ;  stern  realities  were  before  him. 
The  strong  man  buried  his  dead,  cared  for  his  infant 
son  as  best  he  could,  and  faced  the  facts  of  his  almost 
hopeless  condition. 


134  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

The  Convention,  called  for  the  Primary  meeting  in 
Columbus,  was  close  at  hand,  and  it  met  at  Worthing- 
ton  on  June  3,  1818,  not  a  month  since  Mrs.  Chase's 
death. 

At  this  meeting  Mr.  Chase  was  elected  to  the 
bishopric  of  the  Diocese  of  Ohio.  Proper  notices  of 
this  event  were  sent  to  the  standing  committees  of  the 
various  dioceses,  and  the  Bishop-elect  started  off  for 
his  consecration  (on  horseback)  at  Philadelphia, 

And  now  comes  one  of  the  most  inexplicable  and 
malicious,  almost  diabolical  events,  which  cannot  even 
now  be  accounted  for,  except  by  the  agency  of  some 
evil  spirit  from  the  nether  world.  It  is  difficult  to 
imagine  a  man  or  men  bad  enough  to  give  harbor  to 
such  evil  thoughts  against  an  innocent  man  whose  life 
and  work  distinctly  gave  the  lie  to  the  infamous  story. 

Upon  his  arrival  at  Baltimore,  Bishop  Kemp  in- 
formed Bishop  Chase  that  there  was  opposition  to  his 
consecration  as  bishop.  What  rendered  the  matter 
peculiarly  distressing  was  that  the  Standing  Committee 
refused  to  act  on  the  case,  except  by  withholding  their 
consent.  Bishop  White  observed  that  if  there  were  a 
majority  of  the  standing  committees  in  other  dioceses 
beside  Pennsylvania,  the  consecration  might  take  place, 
but  in  that  case  he  should  decline  being  one  of  those 
who  would  join  in  the  consecration. 

To  this  Mr.  Chase  replied  that  he,  himself,  would 
never  think  of  proceeding  a  step  in  pursuit  of  conse- 
cration until  all  were  satisfied  of  its  lawfulness  and 
propriety ;  yea,  more,  he  should  think  it  his  duty  to 
cease  from  preaching  and  ministering  in  holy  things 
altogether;  for,  understanding  that  the  objections 
affected  his  moral  character,   it  was  obvious  that,  if 


Labor  and  Sorrow  135 

true,  they  unfitted  him  for  the  discharge  of  his  duties 
as  presbyter,  as  they  did  for  those  of  bishop.  To  meet 
the  objections,  therefore,  was  both  his  wish  and  his  in- 
dispensable duty. 

"But,"  said  Bishop  White,  "the  standing  commit- 
tees refuse  to  take  up  the  business  in  any  shape,  alleg- 
ing that  they  are  not  the  proper  tribunals." 

"Then,"  said  Mr.  Chase,  "I  request  a  meeting  of 
the  General  Convention,  and  stand  pledged  that  the 
Diocese  of  Ohio  will  demand  the  same;  for  it  seems 
unreasonable  that  a  Bishop-elect  of  any  diocese  should, 
by  reason  of  agitation  affecting  his  character,  be  sacri- 
ficed for  want  of  a  proper  tribunal  before  whom  he  can 
meet  his  accusers  and  repel  their  charges." 

The  justice  of  this  position  was  obvious.  The 
Standing  Committee  took  the  matter  in  hand,  and 
after  due  investigation,  all  was  found  satisfactory  by 
the  board.  Bishop  White  was  present  at  every  meet- 
ing, and  when  all  was  brought  to  a  close,  that  venerable 
prelate  was  heard  to  say  that  he  was  "satisfied  that  the 
gentlemen  who  had  opposed  the  consecration  of  the 
Bishop-elect  of  Ohio  would  do  well  to  consider  if,  upon 
a  similar  charge,  their  own  lives  would  bear  a  like  in- 
vestigation." 

And  thus,  without  even  naming  his  assailants,  Mr. 
Chase  records  the  fact  that  this  shameful  scheme  to 
ruin  the  life  of  a  true  man  came  to  an  ignominious  end. 
He  also  remarks,  apropos  of  this  defeated  plot,  that 
he  is  "grateful  to  a  Divine  Providence  that  there  are 
some  now  living  who  can  bear  witness  to  the  truth  of 
this  statement." 

This  event  occurred  more  than  eighty  years  ago; 
now,  of  course,  there  is  no  man  living  who  can  fully 


o 


6  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 


explain  the  true  inwardness  of  this  plot,  so  cunningly 
prepared  and  which  so  nearly  succeeded, — the  courage 
of  its  victim  alone  preventing  its  accomplishment. 

As  was  stated  in  a  previous  chapter,  the  foundation 
of  this  incredibly  malicious  effort  to  destroy  the  Bishop- 
elect  of  Ohio  was  the  fact  that,  at  the  request  of  a  re- 
spectable gentleman  of  New  Orleans,  Mr.  Chase,  then 
a  resident  and  the  rector  of  the  first  Episcopal  church 
there,  admitted  two  sick  negroes  taken  from  a  slave 
ship  into  the  servants'  quarters  of  his  home  as  an  act  of 
mercy. 

The  gentleman  to  whom  the  cargo  was  consigned 
was  evidently  not  a  monster  of  cruelty,  but  a  man 
of  conscience  enough  to  care  for  the  comfort  of  two 
wretched  human  beings,  savages,  utterly  helpless  and 
without  friends. 

Mr.  Chase  was  requested  to  give  shelter  to  these  poor 
wretches  in  their  extremity,  to  which  request  he  ac- 
ceded. After  weeks  of  suffering,  cared  for  by  the 
family,  one  of  the  men  died  and  the  other  recovered. 

This  is  all  the  accusation  brought  forward,  so  far  as 
known,  against  the  Bishop-elect  of  Ohio,  to  prevent 
his  consecration. 

One  can  only  wonder  how  such  a  base  transaction 
could  have  been  so  far  successful  that  even  Bishop 
White  had  evidently  pre-judged  the  matter  and  practi- 
cally decided  against  the  Bishop-elect,  until  the  latter 
brought  home  to  him  the  obvious  injustice  of  the 
scheme,  when  Bishop  White  could  not  but  consent  to 
give  Mr.  Chase  the  opportunity  to  refute  the  charges 
brought  against  him. 

In  the  end  Mr.  Chase  simply  refers  to  it  in  these 
words:  "To  an  ardent  mind,  thus  assailed  in  a  strange 


Labor  and  Sorrow  137 

city,  with  few  or  no  acquaintances  and  far  from  home, 
the  delay  of  nearly  four  months  required  to  answer  the 
most  futile  and  malicious  accusations  was  long  and 
painful."  And  then  he  goes  on  to  say  what  few  men 
could  say  under  such  galling  circumstances : 

"But  I  am  thankful  it  was  then  so  ordered,  for  it 
taught  me  patience,  and,  by  the  grace  of  God,  qualified 
me  for  far  greater  trials  which  were  in  store  for  me." 

On  the  nth  of  February,  1819,  the  consecration  of 
the  Bishop-elect  of  Ohio  took  place  in  the  city  of  Phila- 
delphia, by  the  Rt.  Rev.  William  White,  D.D. ;  Bishops 
Hobart  of  New  York,  Kemp  of  Maryland,  and  Croes 
of  New  Jersey,  being  present  and  assisting.  The  Rev. 
Dr.  Beasley  preached  the  consecration  sermon,  in  St. 
James's  Church. 

In  connection  with  this  simple  record  of  little  known 
events,  which  will  never  be  fully  explained,  we  find  the 
following  affecting  words  written  long  after:  "Blessed 
be  the  Hand  that  covered  the  events  of  the  future  and 
the  suffering  afterward  endured  in  Ohio.  One  oppo- 
sition by  God's  grace  had  been  overcome;  yet  the  fact 
of  its  being  of  an  unrighteous  and  cruel  character, 
groundless  as  well,  and  evidently  urged  by  secret  op- 
ponents, whom  I  could  not,  nor  even  desired  to  dis- 
cover, proved  the  existence  at  every  step  of  danger, 
and  the  necessity  of  unremitting  prayer  and  vigilance." 

At  this  time,  eighty-four  years  ago,  the  gentle  wife 
and  mother  had  gone  to  her  early  grave  only  a  few 
months  previous.  Even  now  one  may  be  thankful 
that  she  at  least  was  spared  this  trial,  which  was  borne 
in  such  a  spirit  by  the  lonely  man  who,  very  human  as 
he  was,  was  able  to  overcome  all  his  enemies  by  that 
faith  which  sustained  him  even  unto  death. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

THE   NEW   BISHOP   AT   WORK 

TO  quote  again  from  the  Reminiscences.  The  Bishop 
says: 

"With  what  mingled  emotions  of  fear,  hope  and  joy 
I  set  off  for  Ohio  from  Philadelphia  on  horseback,  as  I 
came,  is  quite  impossible  to  tell.  I  remember  the  cold, 
the  piercing  wind,  the  snow  and  the  slippery  roads  up 
and  down  the  Alleghanies.  My  horse  became  so 
strained  that  I  was  obliged  to  buy  another,  fresh  and 
young.  With  this  faithful  animal  I  kept  pace  with  the 
stage  coach,  then  passing  to  Greensburg,  not  far  from 
Pittsburgh." 

But  to  what  did  the  Bishop  return?  On  the  3d  day 
of  March,  18 19,  he  arrived  at  his  home  in  Worthing- 
ton,  Ohio.  His  young  wife  was  in  her  early  grave. 
He  was  the  Bishop  of  a  great  diocese  in  extent,  with- 
out a  salary  and  with  practically  so  few  clergy  as  to 
make  the  cause  of  the  Church  almost  hopeless  (five  only 
in  number),  a  vast  emigration  rushing  in  to  buy  the 
fertile  land,  and  such  a  mere  handful  of  soldiers  to  lead 
in  the  battle  for  the  faith,  "against  sin,  the  world,  and 
the  devil."     What  was  he  to  do? 

An  affecting  circumstance  occurred  previous  to  his 
journey  to  Philadelphia,  which  was  the  means  of  bring- 
ing great  comfort  to  the  home  at  Worthington.     A 

13S 


The  New  Bishop  at  Work  139 

niece  of  Mr.  Chase,  a  young  widow,  who  had  recently 
emigrated  from  Vermont  and  soon  after  lost  her  hus- 
band, came  to  her  uncle's  home  with  her  little  daugh- 
ter. Welcome  indeed  at  the  time  was  her  presence  to 
the  lonely  man ;  and  ever,  until  after  the  Bishop's 
death,  did  this  lovely  woman  remain  the  faithful,  ten- 
der, loving  friend  of  himself  and  his  children,  a  char- 
acter as  marked  as  his  own  for  devotion  to  the  Church 
of  her  love.  It  was  she  who  welcomed  the  Bishop 
when  he  returned  from  his  consecration  to  his  home, 
and  who  cared  for  his  infant  son  in  his  absence,  and, 
as  he  long  after  said,  became  one  of  the  chief  instru- 
ments in  founding  both  Kenyon  and  Jubilee.  There 
are  still  some  who  remember  "Aunt  Lucia"  well  as 
the  incarnation  of  loving-kindness,  one  of  the  saints  of 
God. 

After  the  Bishop's  return,  Mrs.  Russell's  presence 
was  a  great  relief  to  him  in  his  home,  and  he  imme- 
diately arranged  his  domestic  affairs,  to  enter  entirely 
at  his  own  charge  upon  his  diocesan  duty.  He  hired 
a  trusty  man  to  take  charge  of  his  farm  and  went  on 
his  way,  as  in  the  early  days  of  the  Church,  preaching, 
baptizing,  administering  confirmation  and  the  Lord's 
Supper  to  many;  and  "wherever  he  went  a  blessing 
seemed  to  follow  him." 

His  custom  was  to  spend  days,  even  weeks,  in  the 
larger  towns,  teaching  the  ignorant,  seeking  for  those 
who  had  once  enjoyed  the  services,  and  becoming  per- 
sonally familiar  with  those  whom  he  met  and  who  were 
likely  to  become  interested  in  his  great  work. 

He  believed  in  his  work ;  it  was  to  him  the  great  and 
absorbing  passion  of  his  life.  Nothing  else  was  so  im- 
portant ;  everything  else  must  give  way  to  the  needs 


I40         The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

of  this  one  cause.  He  had  as  a  true  pioneer  the  pro- 
phetic vision,  could  see  in  part,  at  least,  what  this 
Great  West  might  become,  what  were  its  needs,  and 
the  infinite  importance  of  planting  the  seeds  of  truth 
in  the  beginning. 

Thus  in  these  early  days  of  hardship  and  toil  he  be- 
came, as  has  been  truly  said  of  him,  "one  of  the  makers 
of  our  country." 

At  this  first  of  his  diocesan  visitations,  an  interesting 
circumstance  occurred,  showing  in  what  way  the  Bishop 
fulfilled  his  apostolic  commission  in  those  simple  and 
comparatively  unworldly  days. 

As  he  was  about  to  turn  his  face  homeward,  having 
passed  through  many  places,  he  heard  of  a  family  in 
sickness  and  distress  who  wished  for  the  administration 
of  the  Holy  Communion.  These  people  were  from 
Ireland,  and  in  their  own  country  were  called  English 
Protestants.  In  emigrating  from  their  native  land  to 
the  earliest  settlements  in  Ohio,  they  had  suffered 
much  hardship  and  deprivation,  particularly  in  their 
religion,  by  the  entire  absence  of  any  of  its  ministra- 
tions. Finley,  the  patriarch  of  the  family,  was  still 
alive,  yet  only  so  much  alive  as  to  be  raised  from  his 
bed  to  a  sitting  posture  to  salute  the  Bishop  as  he  ap- 
proached. As  the  old  man  grasped  his  hand  he  burst 
into  tears  and  sobbed  aloud  :  "I  see  my  spiritual  father, 
my  Bishop,  the  shepherd  of  the  flock  of  Christ,  oh! 
sir,  do  I  live  to  see  this  happy  day?  Yes,  it  is  even 
so.  Now  let  thy  servant  depart  in  peace."  As  the 
venerable  man  showed  forth  his  joy  in  the  coming  of 
the  Bishop,  thus  bringing  to  him  and  his  family  the 
means  of  grace,  all  present  were  greatly  affected.  The 
neighbors  and  the  family  were  hastily  summoned  and 


The  New  Bishop  at  Work  141 

the  Visitation  Office  was  said.  This  was  the  begin- 
ning of  a  good  work  among  these  people.  The  soil  in 
their  hearts  was  broken  up  by  the  words  of  this  beau- 
tiful office  for  the  sick. 

After  this  the  different  branches  of  the  family  and 
many  neighbors  were  summoned,  and  the  Bishop  pro- 
ceeded to  the  work  of  instruction.  The  nature  and 
obligation  of  the  Christian  covenant  of  baptism,  and  as 
renewed  in  the  Holy  Communion,  were  dwelt  upon; 
and  the  little  company  was  dismissed  with  earnest 
words  to  seek  for  the  blessing  of  God  in  their  prayers 
and  lives.  In  the  morning  at  dawn,  the  Bishop  went 
again  to  the  bedside  of  the  dying  man.  The  family 
and  friends  coming  quickly  together,  at  sunrise  he 
again  addressed  his  interesting  congregation.  The 
Bishop,  with  heartfelt  joy  and  grateful  exaltation,  read 
in  the  countenance  of  this  little  flock  the  effect  of 
the  instruction  given  the  day  previous.  "Every  face 
beamed  with  holy  fear  and  love,  speaking  at  once  of 
the  modest,  the  believing  and  obedient  Christian." 

And  when  the  Bishop,  having  duly  examined  them, 
called  for  "the  persons  to  be  confirmed,"  eleven  out 
of  the  little  circle  came  forward.  The  office  was  be- 
gun, and  many  of  these  received  the  Holy  Communion, 
and  several  others  who  had  been  before  confirmed. 
This  service  was  in  a  cabin,  with  scarcely  a  pane  of 
glass  to  let  in  the  light  of  day  and  with  a  floor  of 
roughly  hewn  planks. 

"The  old  man  gazed  with  unspeakable  joy  on  the 
scene  before  him,  the  symbols  of  the  Dear  Lord's 
Death  were  given  and  received,  pledges  of  eternal  love 
where  he  was  fast  hastening.  Giving  him  my  blessing, 
I  departed." 


142  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

This  incident  is  the  more  interesting  because  such 
instances  are  now  so  rare.  The  bishop  comes  for  two 
hours,  officiates,  takes  off  his  robes,  hurries  into  his 
carriage,  and  takes  the  cars  for  the  next  station. 

During  this  early  visitation  St.  Paul's  Church, 
Steubenville,  Ohio,  was  organized.  The  destitute 
churchmen  in  Virginia  across  the  river  were  visited, 
and  a  parish  at  Wheeling  was  formed.  The  first 
diocesan  journey  over,  the  Bishop  returned  to  his 
home  to  meet  his  clergy  in  Convention  for  the  first 
time  as  their  Bishop. 

He  was  welcomed  to  his  diocese  with  words  of  lov- 
ing-kindness which  not  only  touched  his  heart,  but 
cheered  and  encouraged  his  hopes.  A  part  of  this 
address  is  as  follows:  "With  no  ordinary  feelings. 
Right  Reverend  and  dear  sir,  do  we  advert  to  the 
present  situation  of  the  Church  in  the  West.  It  is  a 
rose  planted  in  the  wilderness,  may  it  be  watered  with 
the  dews  of  Heaven;  may  it  be  nourished  by  the  con- 
tinued blessing  of  Him  who  is  the  foundation  of  good- 
ness, until  it  bloom  in  beauty  and  perfection."  To 
which  the  Bishop  replied  in  kind,  touching  with  much 
earnestness  upon  the  subject  so  near  to  his  heart, — the 
need  of  more  laborers  in  the  field  ready  and  willing  to 
go  forth,  giving  of  their  best  to  the  great  work  so 
urgently  needed. 

Immediately  after  this  convention  at  Worthington, 
Benjamin  Birge,  of  Lexington,  Kentucky,  was  admitted 
to  the  holy  order  of  deacons,  and  the  same  day  seventy- 
nine  persons  were  confirmed  by  the  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop 
Chase.  This  was  the  convention  of  1819,  after  which 
the  Bishop  divided  his  time  among  his  domestic, 
parochial,  and  diocesan  duties.     The  parochial  district 


The  New  Bishop  at  Work  143 

consisted  of  Worthington,  Delaware,  Berkshire,  and 
Columbus.  The  others  were  twelve  and  fifteen  miles 
away,  which  in  his  absence  on  diocesan  duty  were  kept 
together  by  lay-readers. 

The  Rev.  E.  Searle  held  a  position  at  the  north,  em- 
bracing more  than  a  hundred  miles  in  circumference. 
The  Rev.  Samuel  Johnston  was  in  the  south,  residing 
in  Cincinnati.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Doddridge,  of  Virginia, 
officiated  a  part  of  the  time  in  the  eastern  counties  of 
Ohio.  The  Rev.  Intrepid  Morse,  now  admitted  to 
priest's  orders,  took  the  town  of  Zanesville,  the  newly 
formed  parish  of  Steubenville  and  several  other  places 
as  missionary  ground  under  his  care. 

Nearly  all  these  extensive  regions  were  visited  before 
the  Convention  of  1819;  the  scattered  members  of 
Christ's  fold  were  sought  for  in  the  deep  forests,  and 
many  who  had  never  before  acknowledged  a  Divine 
Saviour  were  disposed  by  the  grace  of  God  to  forsake 
their  sins  and  come  into  His  primitive  Church.  This 
was  a  cheering  star  in  the  midst  of  a  dark  night. 

In  this  year  18 19,  Bishop  Chase  was  married  to 
Sophia  May  Ingraham,  daughter  of  Duncan  and  Su- 
sanna Ingraham,  of  Philadelphia.  Mrs.  Chase  was  a 
sister  of  Mrs.  Leonard  Kip,  the  mother  of  Rt.  Rev. 
Wm.  Ingraham  Kip,  the  first  Bishop  of  California ;  she 
was  also  the  sister  of  Mrs.  Sparrow,  the  wife  of  the  Rev. 
Professor  Sparrow  of  Kenyon,  afterward  of  Alexandria. 

A  curious  incident  occurred  in  the  same  year;  Jack, 
the  negro,  who  slipped  away  from  his  comfortable 
home  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chase,  while  they  lived  in 
New  Orleans,  is  the  hero  of  an  interesting  episode  in 
the  Bishop's  history.  As  before  stated,  Jack  had 
sailed  away  in  the  year  1807.     In  the  year  18 19,  he 


144  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

returned  to  New  Orleans,  was  identified,  and  was  im- 
prisoned to  await  the  arrival  of  the  legal  powers,  to  be 
sold  for  the  benefit  of  his  master.  At  this  juncture, 
Dr.  Dow,  the  Bishop's  old  friend,  apprised  him  of 
these  facts,  which  put  a  new  face  upon  an  old  picture. 
As  much  as  he  needed  money,  the  Bishop  would  never 
consent  to  sell  the  unfaithful  Jack,  but  wrote  imme- 
diately to  Dr.  Dow  and  other  friends  to  emancipate 
Jack  and  let  him  go  whither  he  wished,  provided  he 
would  pay  his  prison  fees  and  costs  of  suit.  The 
reason  why  Jack's  story  is  again  referred  to  will  be  re- 
vealed later,  when  he  becomes  an  important  person, 
though  only  a  poor,  faithless  servant ;  for  he  proved 
an  instrument  in  the  hand  of  Providence  of  rescuing 
the  Bishop  of  Ohio  from  great  distress  in  London. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

TOIL   AND   POVERTY 

IN  this  way  the  father  writes  of  Philander :  " In  the 
retrospect  of  the  year  1820,  the  first  object  which 
presents  itself  to  the  memory,  is  the  dear  image  of  my 
son  Philander,  who  came  to  me  in  March  of  that  year, 
from  a  sea  voyage." 

While  preparing  for  college.  Philander  spent  his  time 
in  part  in  teaching  a  country  school,  where  during  his 
leisure  hours,  he  wrote  to  his  brother  George  in  this 
manner: 

"I  am  no  boaster,  and  though  I  yield  the  palm  to 
you  in  study,  I  will  give  you  a  short  history  of  my 
campaign  in  the  field  of  literature.  In  the  first  two 
weeks  of  my  residence  here,  I  had  no  books,  and  I 
rummaged  Mr.  E.'s  library  until  I  found  the  Edin- 
burgh Encyclopedia,  down  to  the  letters  Ch.,  and  at 
once  commenced  reading.  Soon  after  came  books 
from  home,  and  I  must  refer  you  to  the  following  cata- 
logue: Gillies's  Greece,  four  volumes,  Percival  and 
Perseus,  Lord  of  the  Isles,  Pleasures  of  Monory  and 
Hope,  Solyman  and  Almena  (silly  thing),  Silliman's 
Travels,  Terence's  Comedies,  Tacitus,  Mrs.  West's 
Letters  to  her  Son,  Mrs.  West's  Letters  to  a  Lady, 
Tibullus  and  Propertius.     Am  now  reading  Longinus 

(tough  enough).     I  have  renewed  the  study  of  Hebrew, 
10 

145 


146  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

and  have  studied  a  little  in  Euripides  and  Grceca  Ma- 
jor a. 

One  may  be  a  little  surprised  to  read  this  list  even 
in  these  days  of  superior  advantages,  especially  as  this 
lad  was  hit  sixteen,  and  was  at  the  time  teaching  a 
large  country  school. 

His  father  remarks  long  after  this  dear  boy  had 
entered  into  rest,  that  when  the  time  came  for  Philan- 
der to  enter  Harvard,  he  sent  him  alone  to  be  examined 
and  to  take  his  place  according  to  his  merits.  The 
examination  was  long,  with  no  one  to  vouch  for  his 
attainments,  and  as  usual,  very  critical.  It  resulted 
in  his  taking  his  place  in  the  junior  class  nearly  at  the 
head,  thus  mounting  over  two  years.  His  brother 
George,  one  year  older,  also  entered  the  junior  class 
at  Yale  under  similar  circumstances. 

Young  Philander  passed  with  great  credit  through 
his  collegiate  course,  and  was  in  his  senior  year  when 
his  father  left  the  Eastern  for  the  Western  States. 
Such  was  his  moral  and  religious  deportment  that  he 
was  admitted  as  lay-reader  and  a  candidate  for  Holy 
Orders,  under  the  supervision  of  Bishop  Griswold. 
This  was  done  at  the  instance  of  Commodore  Mac- 
Donough,  who  had  for  some  time  past  known  his  pious 
and  manly  character,  and,  being  well  assured  of  his 
competent  learning,  had  asked  him  to  become  a  teacher 
on  board  the  Guerriere,  of  which  vessel  he  had  the 
command,  and  go  with  him  to  Russia  and  thence  to 
the  Mediterranean  in  the  place  and  with  the  pay  of 
Chaplain. 

Few  officers  ever  united  the  character  of  piety  and 
bravery  more  intimately  than  Commodore  MacDon- 
ough.     It  was  this  truth,  known  for  several  years  past 


Toil  and  Poverty  147 

by  young  Philander  (for  his  father  had  prepared  and  pre- 
sented the  Commodore  for  confirmation  at  Hartford), 
that  caused  him  to  accept  an  offer  of  such  great  im- 
portance while  yet  so  young. 

Philander's  life  was  brief  indeed,  after  his  return 
from  his  long  journey  abroad,  but  it  was  full.  In  his 
short  day  of  strenuous  toil,  how  great  was  the  work 
he  accortlplished  before  his  lovely  spirit  went  away 
into  the  life  beyond  ! 

"In  this  voyage,"  says  the  Rev.  Mr.  Rutledge  of 
Charleston,  S.  C,  in  his  obituary  sermon  printed  in 
1824,  "he  had  opportunities  of  visiting  many  cities  in 
the  north  of  Europe  as  well  as  Rome,  that  city  of 
palaces,  where  he  remained  some  time,  and  also  to 
tread  the  classic  shore  of  the  Mediterranean  with  the 
feelings  of  a  Christian  and  a  scholar.  The  performance 
of  his  duties  in  one  of  the  most  difificult  of  all  stations 
for  a  youth  not  yet  twenty  was  much  assisted  by  his 
having  for  a  commander  one  in  whose  heart  was  the 
spirit  of  the  Lord ;  that  his  labors  were  valuable  and 
beneficial  on  board  the  frigate  I  have  often  heard  his 
commanding  officer  declare." 

During  the  Bishop's  travels  in  the  year  1820  he  ad- 
ministered the  rite  of  confirmation  at  Portsmouth, 
Ohio,  and  a  man  presented  himself  who  seemed  ac- 
quainted in  an  unusual  way  with  the  worship  of  the 
Church.  Upon  inquiry,  he  said  he  had  derived  his  in- 
formation from  a  "little  square  book  "  which  had  lost 
its  title-page,  the  name  of  its  author,  and  the  place 
where  it  was  printed.  All  he  knew  of  it  was  that  he 
had  brought  it  from  Vermont  to  Ohio,  and  since  then 
he  had  read  it,  many  times,  compared  it  with  his  Bible, 
and  liked  it  well. 


148  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

It  proved  to  be  a  copy  of  the  "little  square  book  "  by 
Jones  of  Nayland,  which  the  Rev.  J.  C.  Ogden  of  Ver- 
mont printed  so  many  years  ago  with  the  little  money 
saved  carefully  for  a  much  needed  overcoat  to  protect 
himself  from  the  wintry  storms  of  Vermont,  but  which 
he  gave  up  and  concluded  to  "turn  his  old  coat,"  that 
he  might  give  to  his  people  what  they  needed  to  learn, 
paying  the  printer  himself.  This  for  the  love  of  God 
and  the  souls  of  men.  In  this  case  it  found  its  way 
to  one  soul  at  least,  long  years  after. 

In  the  fall  of  1820  and  the  winter  of  1821,  matters 
came  to  a  crisis.  To  show  how  little  interest  existed, 
at  this  time,  in  the  affairs  of  Ohio,  while  Mr.  Chase 
had  been  toiling  there  without  support  or  missionary 
aid,  had  organized  many  parishes,  been  elected  Bishop 
in  18 18,  and  duly  consecrated  on  the  nth  of  January, 
1 8 19,  and  for  two  years  borne  the  burden  and  heat  of 
the  day  without  money  or  price,  it  is  only  necessary  to 
mention  that  in  the  report  of  the  General  Convention 
of  1820  on  the  state  of  the  Church  in  different  dioceses, 
we  find  the  following  words  :  "From  the  remote  region 
of  Ohio  little  information  has  come,  but  several  con- 
gregations are  known  to  have  been  gathered,  one  at 
Dayton  and  one  at  Miami."  One  would  suppose  that 
the  Convention  had  never  heard  that  a  Bishop  had  been 
consecrated  for  Ohio,  and  that  almost  with  his  life's 
blood  he  had  begun  his  great  work. 

At  this  time,  in  fact,  the  Bishop  was  entering  upon 
a  great  struggle.  He  returned  from  a  wintry  visita- 
tion. Remember — no  comfortable  cars  or  steamers 
in  those  days,  only  rough  wagons  or  horses'  backs, 
through  mud  and  snow  and  sleet,  bogs  and  corduroy 
at  best.     He  found  little  ease  in  his  home-coming  for 


Toil  and  Poverty  149 

either  soul  or  body.  Three  parishes  to  be  supplied 
near  Worthington,  his  home  hitherto  comfortable,  but 
now,  not  a  dollar  remained  after  paying  the  "hired 
man,"  and  no  promise  for  a  future  supply. 

There  was  but  one  way.  He  must  do  the  work  of 
the  man  himself, — that  is,  haul  and  cut  the  wood,  thresh 
the  grain  by  hand,  build  the  fires,  feed  the  cattle  and 
horses, — all  this,  besides  "the  care  of  the  churches." 
No  discharge  from  this  Christian  warfare.  When  all 
this  came  upon  him  there  arose  in  his  breast  a  secret 
and  painful  doubt:  "Have  I  been  right  in  accepting 
this  office?  Am  I  being  punished  by  this  distress  for 
past  errors  and  mistakes?  The  Apostles  were  called 
by  the  Saviour  of  men  to  become  'fishers  of  men.' 
They  could  say  that  God  would  surely  care  for  them, 
they  need  not  leave  the  Word  of  God  and  serve  tables, 
while  I  must  leave  the  Word  of  God  and  serve  stables. 
It  was  an  agonizing  thought  that  for  me,  at  this  time, 
there  was  no  time  for  study  or  thought ;  my  heart  sank 
at  the  need  of  being  forced  'to  daub  with  untempered 
mortar.' 

At  this  time  the  Bishop  received  a  letter  from  a 
friend  in  an  Eastern  city.  It  was  filled  with  expres- 
sions of  great  kindness  and  seemed  to  take  it  for 
granted  that  the  Bishop  of  Ohio  was  well  supported, 
and  that  all  things  were  made  fit  for  his  high  ofifice  and 
work.  In  his  almost  hopeless  condition,  surrounded 
with  difficulties,  without  money  and  with  the  ever- 
present  need  for  missionaries,  he  felt  that  he  might  at 
least  make  known  to  this  friend  (Dr.  Jarvis)  the  true 
state  of  the  Church  in  Ohio.  Accordingly,  a  letter 
was  written  which  gave  a  history  of  the  past,  and  the 
present  sad  condition  of  the  diocese.     It  was  written 


150  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

with  a  hand  indurated  with  labor  and  bleeding  with  the 
cracks  and  fissures  of  exposure,  only  worthy  of  notice 
for  the  cruel  facts  it  contained.  Years  passed  away 
before  he  thought  of  this  letter  again. 

The  Bishop's  work  in  his  great  diocese  is  summed 
up  in  the  year  1820,  thus: 

Travelled  on  horseback  1279  miles. 

Confirmed  174  persons. 

Baptized  50  persons. 

Preached  182  times. 

At  the  close  of  the  Bishop's  address  at  the  Conven- 
tion of  1820,  he  urged  the  formation  of  a  Diocesan 
Missionary  Society,  also  the  appointment  of  "a  day 
of  humiliation,  fasting,  and  prayer,  in  which  all  mem- 
bers of  our  communion  may  join,  in  which  after  con- 
fession of  sin  they  may  beseech  the  Great  Head  of  the 
Church  to  take  pity  on  this  part  of  His  Mystical  Body, 
that  He  would  not  leave  it  comfortless,  but  would  send 
forth  and  maintain  faithful  ministers  to  guide,  foster, 
and  feed  it."  The  last  Friday  in  August  was  the  day 
appointed  for  this  service. 

Young  Philander,  then  in  deacon's  orders,  was  se- 
lected to  bear  this  message  to  the  bishops  and  make  a 
personal  application  for  aid.  This  duty  he  performed, 
and  though  the  claims  of  the  General  Missionary  So- 
ciety were  then  being  urged,  the  young  deacon  re- 
turned with  $2,910.19. 

Thus  a  star  of  hope  dawned,  and  temporary  relief 
came  to  the  little  band  of  the  Bishop  and  six  clergy. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

OPPOSITION   AND   DECISION 

UNTIL  1820  the  Church  had  hardly  touched  Church 
life  beyond  the  Alleghanies.  An  itinerant  priest 
here  and  there  had  ventured  into  this  vast  region,  but, 
for  the  most  part,  those  of  our  own  communion  beyond 
the  mountains  were  as  sheep  having  no  shepherd. 

The  Rev.  Joseph  Doddridge,  who  itinerated  in  wes- 
tern Pennsylvania  and  Virginia  in  1811,  says  that  a 
large  portion  of  a  great  region  including  Kentucky  and 
eastern  Ohio  had  been  originally  settled  by  Church 
people  from  Maryland,  Carolina,  and  Virginia.  When 
they  crossed  the  mountains  they  left  their  Church  be- 
hind them :  in  their  old  homes  they  had  enjoyed  its 
privileges  as  they  had  those  of  the  sun  and  the  soil, 
without  much  thought  or  appreciation,  but  now  that 
they  were  lacking  they  missed  them  sadly.  The  half- 
dozen  clergy  wandering  through  this  wide-spread  region 
of  poverty  and  religious  confusion  met  together  and 
begged  the  Church  to  come  and  look  after  her  children, 
but  they  begged  in  vain.  Mr.  Doddridge  declares  that 
"he  had  no  expectation  of  even  being  buried  by  a 
churchman  when  he  should  die."  He  affirms  in  a 
letter  to  Bishop  Hobart  in  18 16  that  "if  the  Church 
had  used  her  opportunity,  there  might  have  been 
four  or  five  bishops  in  this  country,  surrounded  by  a 

151 


152  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

numerous  and  respectable  body  of  clergy,  instead  of 
having  our  very  name  connected  with  a  fallen  Church." 

And  Bishop  Hobart  was  the  very  man  who  a  few 
years  later  fought  with  all  the  might  of  his  strong 
nature,  his  high  position,  and  his  powerful  social  ad- 
vantages, as  the  head  of  the  Church  in  the  great 
diocese  and  rich  city  of  New  York,  against  Bishop 
Chase's  plan  of  educating  Western  young  men,  "sons 
of  the  soil,"  for  the  ministry  in  the  Diocese  of  Ohio. 

Bishop  White  is  still  earlier  upon  record  as  taking 
slight  interest  in  a  distinct  effort  made  by  the  Conven- 
tion of  Pennsylvania,  which  had  appointed  a  committee 
to  raise  a  fund  to  send  missionaries  where  and  when 
they  saw  fit.  Little  came  of  it.  It  was  not  until  six- 
teen years  later  that  a  committee  of  three  bishops, 
three  clergy,  and  three  laymen  was  appointed  to  con- 
sider the  situation,  and  granted  the  power  to  send  a 
bishop  into  the  new  States  and  Territories,  if  it  seemed 
advisable.  In  181 1,  the  committee  reports  that  it  can- 
not see  its  way  to  take  any  action. 

A  Convocation  was  called  afterward  at  Washington, 
Pennsylvania,  asking  Bishop  White  to  organize  the 
Church  in  the  West,  but  after  waiting  eighteen  months 
for  an  answer  the  members  were  told  that  nothing 
could  be  done. 

No  wonder  that  the  hour  had  struck  for  the  true 
pioneer  churchman  to  change  all  this. 

In  1 82 1,  nothing  having  been  provided  for  the  sup- 
port of  the  Bishop  of  Ohio,  he  was  obliged  to  accept 
the  offer  of  the  presidency  of  the  college  at  Cincinnati, 
as  the  farm  at  Worthington  was  inadequate  for  the 
support  of  his  family.  The  removal  thither  late  in  the 
fall  was  accompanied  with  much    distress  to  all  con- 


Opposition  and  Decision  153 

cerned;  during  the  journey  they  were  benighted  in  the 
woods  near  Derby,  long  rains  having  rendered  the 
roads  almost  impassable. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Osborne,  the  first  president,  had  already 
left  the  college,  and  in  consequence  the  duties  fell 
heavily  upon  the  new  president.  He  remained  through 
the  winter  and  the  next  autumn.  In  September,  1822, 
he  held  his  commencement  exercises  and  conferred 
degrees  upon  several  young  men  of  the  senior  class, 
closing  with  a  most  touching  appeal,  as  follows:  "One 
word  more  before  we  part :  remember  that  however 
well  resolved  and  strong  to  pursue  your  journey  you 
may  at  present  feel,  yet  your  resolutions  are  but  vain 
and  your  strength  is  but  weakness  without  the  Hand 
of  God  to  continually  support  you.  To  Him,  there- 
fore, look,  in  all  the  vicissitudes  of  life.  In  prosperity 
remember  that  it  is  God  alone  who  gives  it,  in  adversity. 
He  who  alone  orders  it  for  your  benefit;  to  Him  then 
address  your  prayer  for  strength  to  bear  the  one  and 
the  other.  Depend  on  Him  in  life,  and  He  will  sup- 
port you  in  death;  obey  His  voice  in  prosperity,  and 
He  will  hear  yours  when  in  adversity  you  cry  unto 
Him  for  help.  Make  Him  your  Friend,  your  Father, 
and  your  God,  and  He  will  be  your  Sun  and  your 
Shield  here,  and  hereafter  crown  you  with  eternal 
glory." 

This  year,  1822,  the  Bishop  suffered  a  severe  illness" 
at  the  house  of  Mr.  Putnam,  near  Marietta.  This  ill- 
ness was  of  so  long  duration  that  the  order  of  his  visits 
was  deranged,  and  it  was  not  until  Whit-Sunday  that 
he  could  resume  his  work.  In  1821,  the  Rev.  Edward  B. 
Kellogg  was  received  into  the  diocese  from  New  York, 
also  the  Rev.  Mr.  Spencer  was  stationed  at  Pequiaand 


154  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

Springfield,  The  Rev.  Intrepid  Morse  went  to  Steuben- 
ville,  and  the  Rev.  P.  Chase,  Jr.,  took  charge  at  Zanes- 
ville.  It  was  during  these  two  years  that  the  absolute 
necessity  of  providing  for  the  training  of  young  men  for 
the  ministry  among  their  own  people  and  on  their  own 
ground  became  so  apparent  to  the  minds  of  all  who 
ever  gave  it  a  worthy  thought  that  it  was  proposed 
that  young  Philander  should  go  to  England  for  the 
purpose  of  making  an  appeal  to  churchmen  in  that 
country  for  this  object.  A  meeting  between  the 
father  and  son  took  place  on  the  evening  before  the 
opening  of  the  annual  convention  in  June,  at  Worth- 
ington.  The  young  man,  although  far  advanced  in 
the  fatal  illness  which  ere  long  ended  his  life,  had 
travelled  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  on  horseback  to 
fulfil  this  engagement.  Weary  and  ill,  his  father  led 
him  to  his  bedroom,  where  a  bright  fire  was  burning; 
and  where  for  some  time  the  father  watched,  and  the 
son  rested  under  the  temporary  relief  of  an  anodyne. 

Wakeful,  and  at  last  able  to  speak,  the  son,  whose 
mind  seemed  to  glow  with  an  almost  supernatural  bril- 
liance, earnestly  entreated  his  father  to  take  the  place 
designed  for  himself  in  the  mission  to  England,  in  aid 
of  Ohio.  A  friendly  article  in  the  British  Critic  pub- 
lished in  London  by  some  stranger  who  had  taken 
pains  to  read  the  Bishop's  addresses  and  the  journals  of 
the  three  years  previous,  and  who  had  warmly  com- 
mended them  to  the  consideration  of  the  Church  in 
England,  had  so  encouraged  the  young  deacon  that, 
although  knowing  that  his  own  life  was  fast  ebbing, 
and  that  he  should  see  his  father  no  more  in  life,  he 
urged  the  Bishop  to  go  in  his  stead. 

At  the  close  of  the  convention  the  Bishop  requested 


opposition  and  Decision  155 

all  the  members  to  meet  him  in  consultation ;  the  pro- 
ject, though  opened  with  great  seriousness  and  with 
earnest  prayer  for  Divine  guidance,  was  at  first  opposed 
by  nearly  all  present.  It  was  considered  visionary,  but 
at  last  was  agreed  to  by  the  clergy,  and  silent  consent 
(impliedly)  given  by  the  laity. 

There  was  still  hope  that  the  young  man  might  rally 
and  have  strength  to  take  the  voyage,  but,  at  his 
ordination  to  the  priesthood  a  few  days  later,  he  was 
obliged  to  be  held  up  by  his  companions  to  enable  him 
to  go  through  the  service.  It  was  then  that  the  father 
decided,  with  what  agony  none  may  know,  to  go  to 
England  himself,  for  it  was  indeed  a  matter  of  life  or 
death  for  the  Church  in  Ohio. 

There  was  no  money  except  a  small  legacy  recently 
left  the  Bishop  by  a  bachelor  uncle,  about  enough  to 
take  him  across  the  ocean.  The  Angel  of  Promise 
who  had  whispered  to  him  in  the  early  days  of  his 
work  in  Ohio  came  again  to  him,  bringing  its  cheering 
motto  of  faith,  "Jehovah  Jireh."  Inspired  by  this 
hope,  which  to  a  less  sanguine  nature,  or  rather  to  a 
more  faithless  heart,  would  seem  so  frail  a  support  in 
such  a  fateful  venture,  the  Bishop  went  cheerfully  on 
in  his  preparations.  To  quote  his  own  words:  "All 
was  prayer  to  God,  with  rejoicings  in  His  Providence. 
If  we  fail,  we  die;  but  better  that  than  linger  here  and 
see  the  Church  of  God  for  want  of  ministers  dying 
round  us.  If  we  succeed,  Zion  will  lift  up  her  head 
and  all  her  daughters,  the  little  churches  we  have 
founded,  will  rejoice." 

Prudence  said:  "Wait!  stay!  do  not  risk  every- 
thing. ' '  Faith  said  :  "  Go  :  God  will  provide. ' '  To  his 
brethren,  the  bishops,  he  wrote  explaining  his  reasons 


156  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

for  this  great  undertaking.  He  also  wrote  the  follow- 
ing note  of  communion  and  charity  to  each  one  of  the 
bishops: 

"Beloved  Brother  in  God: 

"The  Bishop  of  Ohio,  being  about  to  sail  for  old 
England  on  the  ist  of  October  next,  to  accomplish  de- 
signs of  great  importance  to  the  primitive  Church  of 
God  in  the  Western  States,  earnestly  desires  you,  his 

Right  Reverend  brother.  Bishop  of  ,  to  cause 

prayers  to  be  offered  up  to  Almighty  God,  for  his  pre- 
servation from  all  evil,  and  that  it  would  please  Him, 
who  hath  the  hearts  of  all  men  in  His  hands,  and  all 
events  at  His  control,  to  prosper  the  endeavors  of  His 
servants  to  the  glory  of  His  great  Name,  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord.     Amen. 

"Philander  Chase. 

"Diocese  of  Ohio,  July  29,  1823." 

The  Bishop  and  his  family,  consisting  of  his  wife 
and  three  children,  left  their  home  in  Worthington  on 
the  4th  of  August,  1823,  in  his  family  carriage  drawn 
by  two  faithful  horses,  one  of  which  bore  the  classic 
name  of  Cincinnatus.  The  Bishop  himself  was  the 
coachman.  The  journey  was  delayed  by  illness  at 
Chillicothe.  At  Steubenville  he  met  once  more  his  son 
Philander  and  his  nephew,  the  Rev.  Intrepid  Morse.  At 
Ashtabula,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Hall  received  priest's  orders. 
Here  a  very  perplexing  incident  occurred.  The  ' '  paper 
of  commendation  "  had  been  signed  by  the  Rev. 
Messrs.  Doddridge,  Keller,  Morse,  Johnston,  and  Chase 
in  favor  of  the  Bishop's  plan ;  but  now  Mr.  Hall  (just 
ordained)  and  Mr.  Searle  refused  to  add  their  names  to 


opposition  and  Decision  157 

it.  This  was  a  blow.  Unanimity  among  his  clergy 
was  of  the  utmost  importance.  "A  human  arm  hath 
failed  us,"  said  the  Bishop,  "we  must  go  on,  trusting 
more  fully  in  God."  The  coach  was  ready,  the  last 
adieu  said.  This  was  scarcely  done,  when  a  messenger 
arrived  on  horseback,  requesting  the  Bishop  to  turn 
back  to  Ashtabula,  for  there  were  persons  there,  from 
Medina,  who  wished  his  presence  to  settle  difficulties 
in  Mr.  Searle's  parish.  During  the  arrangement  of 
these  affairs,  Mr.  Searle  reversed  his  decision,  and  both 
he  and  Mr.  Hall  signed  the  Bishop's  commendation 
papers.     Thus  the  obstacle  was  removed. 

It  was  a  "far  cry"  from  Ashtabula  to  Buffalo  by 
horse-power.  It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  there 
was  not  a  locomotive  in  the  then  known  world,  or  a 
rod  of  iron  track.  The  road  travelled  was  on  the  shore 
of  Lake  Erie,  the  waves  often  dashing  up  to  the  horses' 
knees. 

An  accident  occurred  e7i  route,  and  the  party  was 
detained  at  Buffalo,  where  since  a  former  visit  a  church 
had  been  built.  The  Bishop  preached  for  the  rector, 
and  afterwards  visited  our  great  American  wonder,  the 
Falls  of  Niagara.  Very  wild  it  was  in  those  days.  It 
took  the  party  in  the  coach  a  week  to  go  from  Buffalo 
to  Cherry  Valley,  where  Father  Nash  still  lived,  the 
first  missionary  west  of  Albany,  and  the  founder  of  all 
the  parishes  in  Otsego  County.  As  a  pupil  to  his 
teacher,  as  a  son  to  his  father,  as  brother  to  brother, 
so  did  the  Bishop  pay  his  devoirs  to  this  venerable 
servant  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

The  party  arrived  at  Kingston  on  the  15th  of  Sep- 
tember, the  home  of  Mrs.  Chase's  mother,  eight  hun- 
dred miles  from  Cincinnati.     The  Bishop  and  family, 


158  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

long  separated  from  their  relatives,  were  welcomed 
cordially,  but  a  mysterious  gloom  pervaded  the  coun- 
tenances of  the  mother  and  other  friends.  The  ex- 
planation was  not  fully  made  until  the  tired  and  dusty 
travellers  had  reached  their  rooms,  which  were  upon 
the  ground  floor,  when  over  the  sweetbrier  bushes, 
which  screened  the  windows,  came  a  packet  of  letters 
thrown  by  an  unseen  hand.  They  were  all  addressed 
to  the  Bishop  and  sufficiently  explained  the  silence  and 
sadness  of  the  family.  Their  contents  had  been  made 
known  to  all  the  friends.  They  all  condemned  the 
Bishop's  plan  in  toto,  threatening  ruin,  and  entreating 
that  every  means  should  be  used  to  prevent  the  Bishop 
from  going  another  step  on  a  tour  which  must  prove 
fatal  to  him  and  to  the  happiness  and  prosperity  of  his 
family.  "Then,"  said  his  wife,  "we  must  go  home 
and  die  among  our  neighbors."  The  rejoinder  was, 
"Never!  " 

These  good  friends  unknowingly  took  the  best  means 
for  bracing  every  nerve  in  the  Bishop's  body  and  soul; 
no  more  doubt  troubled  either  husband  or  wife  in  this 
battle.     The  matter  was  settled. 


CHAPTER  XX 

TO   ENGLAND   FOR   AID 

ARRIVED  in  New  York,  the  Bishop  received  the 
same  persistent  opposition  that  developed  in 
Kingston.  "Ruin  was  sure  to  result."  Even  intimate 
friends  had  been  spoken  to,  and  had  been  so  influenced 
that  they  used  every  effort  to  cause  an  abandonment 
of  the  venture.  The  Bishop  says,  apropos  of  this: 
"All  these  kind  friends  lived  on  the  eastern  side  of  the 
mountains,  therefore  their  opinions  should  not  be 
heeded,  as  they  were  one-sided  judgments,  for  t/iey  had 
never  been  on  the  other  side  of  the  mountains." 

The  matter,  however,  did  not  end  with  friendly  and 
pitying  advice,  such  as  was  given  in  the  letters  thrown 
over  the  sweetbrier  bushes.  He  was  now  told  that  the 
opposition  to  the  scheme  for  aid  would  go  with  it  to 
England.  "You  will  be  opposed  in  England  by  the 
weight  of  the  Church  in  America,  and  that  in  the 
strongest  manner."  The  Bishop's  reply  was  that  he 
could  not  believe  it. 

As  an  instance  of  the  extremity  of  the  ill  feeling 
against  the  only  course  open  to  the  Bishop  at  this 
time,  the  following  is  worthy  of  notice.  A  letter 
written  by  an  eminent  lawyer  to  a  gentleman  formerly 
residing  in  London,  now  living  in  America,  asking  the 
favor  of  letters  of  introduction  to  men  of  character  in 

159 


i6o  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

London  for  the  Bishop,  was  returned  with  the  compli- 
ments of  the  Honorable  Gentleman,  saying  that  "he 
had  been  advised  to  refuse  any  letters  of  introduction 
to  his  friends  in  England." 

At  this  time  letters  from  Bishop  Ravenscroft  of 
North  Carolina  and  Bishop  Bowen  of  South  Carolina 
cheered  the  Bishop's  fainting  spirits  by  their  expres- 
sions of  ardent  approval  and  earnest  encouragement  in 
his  plan.  These  good  men  knew  and  realized  the  needs 
of  the  West,  and  were  generous  enough  to  help  instead 
of  hinder  in  this  great  work. 

During  these  days  of  waiting,  young  Philander, 
summoning  all  his  remaining  strength,  came  on  to 
New  York  to  bid  his  father  a  last  farewell.  Before 
sailing,  Bishop  Chase  wrote  a  letter  to  Bishop  White 
on  the  subject  of  going  to  England  for  the  relief  of 
the  Church  in  Ohio,  and  this  letter  was  unhesitatingly 
approved  by  Bishop  White,  who  advised  its  immediate 
and  general  circulation.  It  gave  reasons  which,  to  a 
generous  mind,  could  not  be  disputed  with  any  show 
of  honor  and  justice.  The  Bishop,  many  years  after, 
says  of  this  letter:  "It  was  written  in  a  sick  room 
during  intervals  of  great  sorrow  and  suffering,  oppos- 
ing friends  about  me,  a  wide  ocean  before  me,  and 
beyond  it  scenes  as  untried  as  those  in  another  world, 
and  withal  a  portentous  cloud  ready  to  burst  upon 
me.  Under  such  circumstances,  I  asked  the  'prayers 
of  the  Church  for  persons  going  to  sea.'  In  this  I  was 
denied."  With  all  the  evils  of  the  twentieth  century, 
it  is  scarcely  to  be  believed  that  such  an  instance  of 
utter  heartlessness  could  occur  now  among  Christian 
gentlemen. 

The  ship  Orhit  was  to  sail  on  the  ist  of  October. 


To  England  for  Aid  i6i 

But  one  clergyman  in  New  York  accompanied  the 
Bishop  to  the  ship.  The  invalid  son  rode  to  White- 
hall, and  there  he  bade  his  father  his  last  farewell. 
Soon  the  anchor  was  up  and  the  ship  was  out  at  sea. 
The  Bishop  reflects:  "I  left  behind  me  my  dying  son, 
my  suffering  diocese,  my  anxious  wife,  helpless  chil- 
dren, and  my  angry  friends.  Who  was  to  welcome  me 
across  the  wide  and  weltering  sea?  None  whom  I 
knew;  but  I  well  knew  who  would  attempt  to  drive 
me  from  the  English  shores,  for  from  this  person's  lips 
I  heard  the  promise." 

To  cut  short  the  story  of  this  painful  and  almost  in- 
credibly cruel  threat,  sufifice  it  to  say  that  it  was  carried 
out  completely  to  the  letter. 

The  voyage  was  on  the  whole  a  prosperous  one  for 
those  days,  when  sailing  vessels  alone  could  cross  the 
Atlantic.  The  ship  was  almost  near  enough  to  the 
harbor  at  Liverpool  to  meet  the  pilot,  when  a  great 
wind  blew  it  back,  and  ship  and  passengers  were  in 
much  danger  for  several  days,  finally  landing  at  Liver- 
pool the  Sunday  after  the  storm  began. 

Baruch  Chase,  an  older  brother  of  the  Bishop,  had 
married  an  Englishwoman,  a  sister  of  Timothy  Wiggin 
of  Manchester.  With  Mr.  Wiggin  at  this  time  resided 
the  Bishop's  nephew,  Benjamin  Chase.  Therefore  to 
Manchester  the  Bishop  repaired  to  visit  these  friends. 
He  found  a  most  generous  and  kindly  welcome, — even 
more,  immediate  approval  of  his  plans,  most  encourag- 
ing to  his  sore  and  burdened  heart.  These  kind  friends 
took  counsel  together.  Mr.  Wiggin  became  deeply 
interested,  and  from  his  precious  sympathy  the  Bishop 
drew  encouragement  and  strength  to  go  forward. 

The  Bishop  was  advised  by  Mr.  Wiggin  to  remain 


1 62  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

some  days  in  Manchester,  where  he  met  with  two 
clergymen  who  were  much  interested  in  his  plans,  and 
from  them  he  learned  that  the  threats  made  in  New 
York  had  been  carried  out  to  the  utmost.  "Notices  " 
against  him  had  been  made  public ;  even  handbills  had 
been  circulated. 

Before  going  to  London,  the  Bishop  visited  Oxford, 
and  there  also,  although  treated  by  his  hosts  with 
much  respect  and  consideration,  he  had  incidentally 
painful  confirmation  of  this  fact.  Nevertheless,  he 
was  deeply  impressed  with  the  charms  of  that  venerable 
and  beautiful  city,  and  with  the  services  at  St.  Mary's 
by  the  Rev.  Mr.  S.,  who  on  their  way  to  dine  at  the 
Provost's  informed  the  Bishop  of  his  "decided  opposi- 
tion to  the  Ohio  plan,  having  heard  the  exact  state  of 
the  case  from  another  quarter."  This  remark,  coupled 
with  the  request  that  "the  Provost  should  not  be 
troubled  about  the  matter,"  was  a  quietus.  One  may 
imagine  the  completeness  of  this  rebuff. 

Upon  the  Bishop's  arrival  in  London,  with  no  friend 
to  meet  him  in  that  great  city  where  his  mysterious 
enemy  had  already  begun  his  work,  no  wonder  that  his 
heart  sank  and  his  faith  in  the  future  fainted  within  him. 
Still  he  had  the  courage  to  do  the  work  of  the  hour, 
and  that  was  to  call  on  Sergeant  Sellon  in  the  Chapter 
House  of  St.  Paul's  Cathedral,  and  deliver  a  letter  from 
his  son,  the  rector  of  St.  Anne's  Church  in  New  York. 
Here  Sergeant  Sellon  informed  him  that  a  printed 
paper  in  opposition  to  his  mission  had  been  circulated, 
and  that  no  stone  was  left  unturned  to  ruin  it. 

Mr.  Sellon  assisted  the  Bishop  in  finding  lodgings  at 
No,  10  Featherstone  Buildings,  High  Holborn.  Here, 
with  plenty  of  time  for  reflection,  he  could  contemplate 


To  England  for  Aid  163 

the  present  and  anticipate  the  future.  One  thing  was 
certain,  however,  that  everything  possible  had  been 
done  in  London  to  render  null  all  his  efforts  to  build 
up  and  keep  alive  the  Church  of  God  beyond  the  Alle- 
ghanies.  He  further  says:  "My  opponent  must  think 
he  is  doing  right ;  I  will  not  reproach  him,  on  the  con- 
trary, I  most  devoutly  pray  for  him.  With  this  state 
of  mind,  I  am  enabled  to  rest  in  quietness  and  con- 
tent." 

Henry  Clay  and  Lord  Gambler  had  been  joint  com- 
missioners, representing  the  United  States  and  England 
at  the  Treaty  of  Ghent,  and  had  become  fast  friends. 
When  Bishop  Chase  went  to  England,  Mr.  Clay  gave 
him  letters  to  Lord  Gambler,  and  also  to  Alexander 
Baring.  These  were  duly  forwarded ;  both  received 
most  courteous  replies,  and  in  due  time,  he  received 
an  invitation  to  visit  Lord  Gambler  at  Piatt  Hall,  his 
home. 

At  this  time  another  notice  appeared  in  the  papers, 
with  additional  objections  to  Bishop  Chase's  plan. 
He  was  called  a  "schismatic,"  and  it  was  represented 
that  the  Bishop  of  the  Diocese  of  New  York  had  archi- 
episcopal  jurisdiction  over  Ohio,  and  Bishop  Chase  had 
no  right  to  ask  for  aid  in  England  for  his  diocese.  In 
short,  nothing  was  undone  that  might  serve  to  injure 
Bishop  Chase  and  his  cause.  These  efforts  did  not 
prevail  in  the  end,  for  it  was  determined  that  there 
should  be  no  contention ;  the  fight  should  be  all  one- 
sided. Thus  gladly  is  this  subject  dismissed,  or  only 
recalled  as  the  "serpent  hiss  of  ecclesiastical  hatred." 

On  the  4th  of  December,  the  Bishop  met  Lord 
Gambler,  according  to  appointment,  at  the  London 
Tavern,  Bishopsgate  Street.     After  the  business  of  the 


164  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

Bible  Society,  at  which  Lord  Gambier  presided,  was 
over,  he  took  the  Bishop  in  his  carriage  and  they  rode 
together  to  his  residence  at  Iver.  While  on  the  way 
his  Lordship  alluded  to  the  letter  which  had  been  the 
occasion  of  the  present  interview,  and  his  pleasure  in 
paying  civility  to  one  whom  his  excellent  friend  Mr. 
Clay  of  America  was  pleased  to  commend  to  his 
acquaintance;  yet  candor  required  him  to  mention 
that  he  had  received,  from  another  American  gentle- 
man, statements  of  quite  a  different  character,  which 
had  had  an  unfavorable  effect  on  his  mind.  An  ex- 
planation being  respectfully  asked,  his  Lordship  men- 
tioned from  whence  these  statements  came  and  that 
they  were  both  in  print  and  manuscript. 

The  Bishop  says:  "Perhaps  nothing  but  conscious 
innocence  in  the  exercise  of  the  common  privilege  of 
an  unenslaved  mind  could  have  dictated  an  appropriate 
reply  to  such  a  communication,  made  with  such  candor 
on  such  an  occasion,  and  from  so  dignified  a  person. 
The  words  of  that  reply  were  gone  after  they  were 
spoken,  they  could  not  be  recalled :  but  memory  still 
supplies  the  expression  of  satisfaction  in  his  Lordship's 
countenance  when  I  earnestly  requested  that  an  oppor- 
tunity might  be  granted  to  disabuse  his  mind  by  ex- 
plaining the  whole  case,  and  defending  the  character  of 
an  injured  man  and  his  more  injured  diocese.  'This 
shall  be  freely  done,'  was  his  reply.  'Will  your  Lord- 
ship be  pleased  to  say  it  shall  be  uninterrupted? '  To 
this  an  immediate  assent  was  given,  and  the  time  fixed 
was  the  next  day  after  breakfast  in  his  study.  Nearly 
the  whole  day  on  Friday  his  Lordship  spent  in  his 
library  with  me,  employed  in  the  examination  of  the 
papers  and  documents  pro  and  con,  relating  to  the  ob- 


JAMES,   LORD  QAMBIER  (ADMIRAL).       Page  164. 


To  England  for  Aid  165 

ject  for  which  I  had  crossed  the  Atlantic.  After  a 
full  investigation,  Lord  Gambier  observed  that  had  he 
known  what  he  now  saw,  he  would  not  have  returned 

so  polite  a  note  to as  he  did  in  answer  to  his 

letter  which  accompanied  the  'notices.' 

The  Bishop  spent  a  delightful  Sunday  at  Iver,  and 
after  breakfast  Monday  morning,  his  Lordship  in  the 
most  affectionate  and  polite  manner  gave  his  opinion, 
advice,  and  an  assurance  of  his  support  to  the  Ohio 
cause;  at  the  same  time,  he  expressed  his  fears  of  its 
success  in  England.  "Nearly  all,"  he  observed,  "were 
prejudiced,  and  but  few  can  have  the  opportunity  of 
having  their  minds  disabused.  You  will  have  to  row 
against  wind  and  tide ;  my  advice  is  that  you  stand  on 
your  own  ground  and  rely  under  God  on  your  own 
statements,  supported  as  they  are  by  your  own  life  and 
character.  Make  your  publication,  but  do  it  in  as  few 
words  as  possible.  Your  introduction  to  me  from  Mr. 
Clay  forms  your  introduction  to  the  Church  Mission- 
ary Society,  at  the  head  of  which  as  President  stands 
my  name.  To  the  Secretary,  the  Rev.  Josiah  Pratt, 
I  shall  give  you  a  letter  which  you  will  present  with 
my  compliments;  and  be  assured  you  have  my  good 
wishes." 

"With  what  anxious  steps  I  was  the  bearer  of  Lord 
Gambler's  letter  to  this  good  man  need  not  be  told. 
With  books  and  papers  all  around  a  well-lighted  room, 
warmed  by  a  cheerful  fire,  sat  the  Rev.  Josiah  Pratt, 
as  I  suddenly,  perhaps  unexpectedly,  entered  the  room. 
Turning  around  and  facing  the  door  he  saw  a  man  ap- 
proach, of  no  ordinary  size  and  evidently  no  inhabitant 
of  London,  and  against  whom,  as  he  has  since  remarked, 
he  was  very  much  prejudiced.     A  civil  bow  was  inter- 


1 66  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

changed  and  the  letter  from  Lord  Gambler  presented. 
He  read  the  letter  and  received  me  very  kindly.  I 
made  a  summary  of  my  affairs  and  left  with  him  some 

papers.     He  told  me  that had  not  only  pub- 

Hshed  notices  in  handbills  and  sent  them  to  him,  but 
caused  them  to  be  inserted  in  the  Rejuembrancer,  a 
work  much  read  in  England. 

"The  Rev.  Mr.  Pratt  observed  when  I  came  away 
that  even  as  far  as  he  had  gone  in  considering  the  case, 
he  had  no  hesitation  to  assure  me  of  his  good  wishes 
and  of  his  endeavor  to  accomplish  what  I  wished, 
and  accordingly  wrote  to  Lord  Gambier  requesting  a 
meeting  of  some  influential  persons  to  take  into  con- 
sideration the  whole  matter." 


CHAPTER  XXI 

FRIENDS   AND    FOES 

AVERY  encouraging  letter  from  Lord  Gambler 
came  soon  after  the  events  of  the  last  chapter, 
and  from  this  time  both  Lord  Gambler  and  Mr.  Pratt 
were  the  Bishop's  faithful  friends,  manifesting  the 
most  earnest  desire  to  aid  the  cause  of  Ohio,  and  con- 
stantly showing  the  utmost  generosity  and  loving- 
kindness  to  him  socially.  This  great  change  was 
brought  about  gradually,  especially  in  Lord  Gambler's 
case,  because  he  had  been  brought  under  the  influence 
of  the  slander  so  freely  circulated  and  so  artfully  used. 
These  two  honest  men  had  the  Briton's  love  of  fair 
play,  and  when  they  were  convinced  that  the  Bishop's 
statements  were  absolutely  true,  and  that  he  was  bear- 
ing up  under  a  load  of  obloquy  without  retaliation, 
they  gave  him  their  full  confidence  and  at  once  set 
about  doing  all  in  their  power  to  aid  him  in  his  struggle, 
not  only  for  his  suffering  diocese,  but  for  his  personal 
honor  as  a  man  and  as  a  Christian  Bishop.     At  this 

time,  Mr.  Pratt  said had  made  himself  liable  to 

the  most  severe  retaliation.  "His  methods,  as  well  as  the 
whole  spirit  of  his  opposition,  have  not  been  founded 
in  truth  and  fair  representation  and  all  of  them  are 
overbearing.  He  could  therefore  be  righteously  han- 
dled with  great  severity,  but  your  plan  is  best,  not  to 

167 


1 68  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

retort  nor  to  recriminate,  but  suffer  and  forbear  for  the 
sake  of  the  Church  in  America.  Your  interest  would 
lie  in  coming  forward  to  the  British  public  by  an  appeal 
to  their  sense  of  justice;  many  would  open  their  hearts 
and  hands  to  assist  you,  and  your  utmost  desire  would 
be  gratified  in  the  collection  of  funds  for  an  institution 
in  Ohio,  but  this  would  make  a  division  and  create  bad 
blood  in  America;  better  will  it  be,  to  return  back  to 
your  own  country  possessed  of  little,  with  peace  and  a 
good  conscience  than  with  much,  and  'contention 
therewith.' 

At  this  point  in  the  Bishop's  mission,  the  sky  began 
to  brighten.  Both  Lord  Gambier  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Pratt 
thought  it  best  to  pubHsh  a  statement  of  the  condition 
in  Ohio,  and  the  need  of  educating  young  men  for  the 
ministry,  on  their  own  soil,  for  the  work  of  the  Church. 
An  appeal  of  this  kind  must  find  favor  in  many  hearts. 
Mr.  Pratt  also  wrote  to  the  Bishop's  opponent  of  the 
change  in  his  sentiment,  and  of  the  great  regret  he  now 
felt  for  the  course  taken  in  the  beginning. 

A  meeting  of  several  clergymen  took  place  late  in 
December  on  Bishop  Chase's  behalf.  The  Rev.  Mr. 
Pratt  was  chairman.  The  merits  of  the  Bishop's  cause 
were  discussed  from  beginning  to  end,  and  the  confi- 
dence of  the  committee  increased  at  every  stage  of  the 
inquiry. 

The  resolutions  of  the  clergy,  given  below,  will  show 
the  wonderful  change  in  the  opinions  of  fair-minded 
men  towards  the  Bishop  of  Ohio. 

At  this  meeting,  held  on  the  31st  of  December,  1823, 
various  documents  relative  to  the  visit  of  the  Rt. 
Rev.  Bishop  Chase  to  England  were  taken  into  con- 
sideration,when  the  following  resolutions  were  adopted ; 


Friends  and  Foes  169 

and  at  a  subsequent  meeting,  held  on  the  7th  of  Jan- 
uary, 1824,  the  Rev.  Henry  Budd,  M.A.,  minister  of 
Bridewell  precinct,  and  rector  of  White  Roothing, 
Essex,  in  the  chair,  the  said  resolutions  were  confirmed : 

"  I.  That  the  spiritual  wants  of  the  Diocese  of  Ohio, 
in  the  Episcopal  Church  of  the  United  States,  the  only 
diocese  yet  established  in  the  Western  territory,  call 
for  special  provision  and  assistance. 

"2.  That  appropriate  and  adequate  provision  for  the 
supply  of  the  spiritual  wants  of  the  said  diocese  re- 
quires the  establishment  of  an  institution  on  the  spot, 
in  which  natives  of  the  country  may  be  trained  for  the 
ministry,  at  an  expense  within  their  reach,  and  in  habits 
suited  to  the  sphere  of  their  labors. 

"3.  That  the  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  Chase  is  fully  justi- 
fied, by  the  circumstances  of  the  case,  in  appealing  to 
the  benevolence  of  this  country ;  and  in  undertaking 
to  be  the  messenger  of  his  diocese  on  the  occasion, 
notwithstanding  the  privations  and  difficulties  insepara- 
ble from  such  a  mission ;  that  the  Rt.  Rev.  prelate  is 
entitled  to  the  veneration  and  gratitude  of  those  who 
desire  the  extension  and  increasing  influence  of  our 
holy  faith,  especially  in  that  pure  and  primitive  form 
in  which  it  is  propagated  by  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Churches  of  Great  Britain  and  America. 

"4.  That  this  meeting  does,  therefore,  tender  to  the 
Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  Chase  its  respectful  acknowledg- 
ments and  afTectionate  regard,  and  pledges  itself  to  the 
adoption  and  prosecution  of  such  measures  as  shall 
seem  best  adapted  to  promote  the  object  of  his  visit, 
and  thinks  it  due  to  him,  under  the  circumstances  in 
which  he  has  been  placed   in  this  country,   that  he 


170  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

should  be  relieved  to  the  utmost  of  personal  labor  and 
responsibility. 

"5.  That  however  Bishop  Chase  might  be  justified 
in  laying  before  the  people  of  this  country,  in  his  own 
name,  a  statement  of  the  facts  of  the  case,  in  reference 
to  some  objections  which  have  been  here  published, 
and  might  even  seem  called  upon  to  do  so,  in  vindica- 
tion of  himself;  yet,  taking  into  account  the  painful 
consequences  of  a  contest,  and  understanding  that  it  is 
the  Bishop's  wish  and  determination  to  avoid,  to  the 
utmost,  appearing  as  a  controversialist  in  this  country, 
this  meeting  would  express  its  respectful  and  cordial 
approbation  of  the  Christian  forbearance  of  Bishop 
Chase  in  abstaining  from  such  a  course  of  proceeding. 

"6.  That  a  statement  of  the  peculiar  wants  of  the 
Diocese  of  Ohio  and  the  object  of  Bishop  Chase's  visit, 
be  drawn  up  in  a  conciliatory  spirit,  and  avoiding  as 
much  as  possible  all  matter  of  controversy;  and  that 
the  said  statement  together  with  any  documents  which 
may  appear  requisite  be  circulated  in  the  name  of  the 
friends  of  Bishop  Chase,  at  the  discretion  of  a  Commit- 
tee to  be  formed  for  those  purposes. 

"7.  That  the  Rev.  Thomas  Hartwell  Home,  the 
Rev.  Josiah  Pratt,  the  Rev.  Henry  Venn,  the  Rev. 
Thomas  Webster,  and  the  Rev.  Samuel  C.  Wilkes  do 
form  the  said  Committee,  and  be  further  charged  with 
making  the  most  effectual  arrangements  for  promoting 
the  object  of  Bishop  Chase's  visit  to  this  country. 

"8.  That  a  subscription  be  opened  in  behalf  of  the 
Diocese  of  Ohio,  and  that  Henry  Hoare,  Esq.,  be  re- 
quested to  act  as  Treasurer  of  the  fund,  and  the  Rt. 
Hon.  Lord  Gambler  and  Mr.  Hoare  to  allow  the  pro- 
ceeds to  be  vested  in  government  securities,  in  their 


QEORQE  W.  MARRIOTT.     Puge  /;/. 


Friends  and  Foes  171 

joint  names,  until  the  same  shall  be  drawn  for  by  the 
proper  authorities. 

"That  these  resolutions  be  respectfully  submitted  to 
the  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  Chase. 

"H.  BUDD,  Chairman.'' 

One  of  the  clergy  present  at  the  meeting  was  the 
Rev.  Thomas  Hartwell  Home,  author  of  the  letter  in 
the  British  Critic  which  first  led  to  the  idea  of  appeal- 
ing to  England  for  help,  also  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wilkes,  and 
many  more.  The  Bishop  of  St.  David's  became  a 
warm  friend  at  this  time,  and  another  who  seemed  to 
have  a  heart  full  of  good-will  and  a  manner  made  of 
genuine  sunshine  came  to  the  Bishop's  aid  in  the  most 
unexpected  way.  Such  a  friend  as  is  seldom  found 
in  this  cold  world  was  G.  M,  Marriott,  generous,  true, 
and  loving. 

Mr.  Pratt  did  not  "allow  grass  to  grow  under  his 
feet"  in  publishing  the  resolutions  of  the  clergy. 
Meantime  the  new  friend,  Mr.  Marriott,  continued  to 
show  the  kindest  and  most  generous  attention.  It 
would  seem  that  he  was  trying  to  make  amends  for  the 
unjust  and  false  impression  he  had  at  first  innocently 
received. 

At  this  period  of  the  Bishop's  visit  in  England  he 
spent  some  days  in  Halifax,  Bradford,  and  Hudders- 
field,  enjoying  the  hospitality  of  many  distinguished 
clergymen,  and  meeting  again  his  first  and  best  friend 
Mr.  Wiggin,  e7i  route. 

His  heart  was  cheered  by  the  delightful  friends  he 
met  at  these  lovely  English  homes.  The  Bishop 
writes : 

"At  dinner  one  day,  where  all  were  friends,  several 


172  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

clergymen  and  others  being  present,  the  body  was 
refreshed  and  the  mind  delighted  with  the  cheerful 
converse.  The  papers  from  the  parcel  containing 
the  periodicals  were  thrown  on  the  table.  Breaking 
them  open,  out  dropped  an  anonymous  pamphlet, 
the  whole  tendency  of  which  was  to  disparage  and 
abuse  the  Bishop  of  Ohio  and  his  seminary.  This  was 
a  stroke  altogether  unexpected,  and  being  quite  off 
my  guard,  the  effect  through  the  mind  on  the  bodily 
frame  had  well-nigh  proven  fatal." 

The  Bishop  was  obliged  to  retire  to  his  room  at 
once  in  great  distress,  body  and  mind.  His  friend 
Mr.  Wiggin  was  constantly  by  his  bedside,  and  did 
everything  and  said  everything  that  could  alleviate  the 
present  distress.  He  had  brought  letters  with  him 
from  Manchester — some  of  these  of  a  cheering  char- 
acter— others  from  America  concerning  the  declining 
health  and  almost  certain  death  of  the  Bishop's  son  in 
South  Carolina.  The  latter  brought  singular  relief, 
for  they  caused  him  to  shed  tears. 

At  this  second  visit  to  Manchester  he  spent  two 
weeks  with  his  good  friend  Mr.  Wiggin  with  the  hap- 
piest results,  receiving  tokens  of  kindness  and  good-will 
from  nearly  all  the  clergy  of  that  city.  Mr.  Pratt's 
encouraging  letters,  also  Lord  Gambler's,  continued 
to  reach  him,  while  numbers  of  new  friends  gave  him 
warmest  welcome. 

At  this  time  he  visited  a  Mr.  Evans,  member  of 
Parliament  from  Derbyshire.  This  proved  also  a 
happy  circumstance,  he  meeting  many  friends  and  en- 
joying, after  his  dreary  loneliness  in  London,  great 
pleasure  in  their  kindness.  All  these  were  interested 
and  most  helpful. 


Friends  and  Foes  173 

With  Lord  Kenyon  and  Dr.  Gaskin  many  others 
became  deeply  interested  in  Ohio's  cause.  Then  came 
an  extraordinary  climax  of  events.  At  this  time,  after 
all  the  efforts  to  injure  the  cause  of  Ohio  and  to  destroy 
the  character  and  influence  of  its  Bishop,  the  proposi- 
tion was  made  by  the  persons  heading  the  opposition 
that  the  Bishop  should  give  one  third  of  the  money 
collected  for  Ohio  to  the  General  Theological  Seminary 
of  New  York,  promising  grandly  a  stay  of  the  "un- 
pleasantness "  if  this  plan  were  accepted! 

Soon  after,  the  Bishop  dined  with  Mr.  W.  G.  Mar- 
riott and  there  met  Miss  Duff  Macfarlane,  the  daughter 
of  a  Scotch  Bishop,  who  seemed  to  take  an  interest  in 
Ohio,  and  was  most  desirous  of  further  information. 
This  circumstance  proved  afterward  to  be  much  in  his 
favor.  At  this  time  he  met  Lord  Kenyon.  The  ap- 
peal for  Ohio  had  been  published  and  was  doing  much 
good. 

Some  time  later,  the  Bishop  enjoyed  a  delightful 
surcease  from  his  wearing  anxiety  in  the  society  of 
many  pleasant  people  at  Cotesbach,  near  Lutterworth, 
meeting  again  Miss  Duff  Macfarlane.  Apropos  of  this 
lady,  the  Bishop  remarks:  "Little  did  I  think  that  she 
would  be  instrumental  in  opening  a  door  of  prosperity 
to  me,  although  in  London  the  outlook  still  remained 
very  gloomy." 

After  returning  to  London  he  met  the  friends  already 
in  sympathy  with  him,  and  also  Bishop  Ryder  and 
Lord  Bexley  for  the  first  time.  He  also  met  the 
Bishop  of  Durham,  who  received  him  with  great  kind- 
ness, asking  for  more  of  the  printed  appeals  and  taking 
leave  of  him  with  the  prophecy  of  success.  This  opin- 
ion, as  it  proved,  was  a  true  one ;  yet  the  means  by 


174  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

which  it  should  be  brought  to  pass  were  hidden.  All 
London  was  prepossessed  against  the  Bishop,  with  the 
exception  of  a  few  who  had  been  convinced  by  private 
interviews.  The  withdrawing  of  the  objection  con- 
tained in  the  "Notices,"  if  they  could  be  said  to  have 
been  withdrawn,  did  not  obviate  the  difficulties.  They 
were  considered  to  be  in  full  force,  although,  for  secret 
reasons,  not  urged  as  at  the  first. 

The  prelates  of  the  Church  of  England  and  all  their 
friends,  excepting  those  aforementioned,  viewed  the 
Bishop  as  a  "factious  schismatic." 

And  what  could  remove  so  mighty  a  difficulty  as 
this?     The  Bishop  felt  his  hands  tied. 

Consider  first  the  British  Parliament, — not  a  man  of 
them  felt  any  interest  in  the  affairs  of  Ohio  except  the 
few  mentioned,  but  harbored  great  aversion  to  the 
name  and  cause  of  the  Bishop.  And  how  came  they 
to  change  their  minds,  so  as  in  any  considerable  num- 
bers to  support  what  they  had  before  rejected  and  de- 
spised? In  answer  to  this,  take  the  following  plain 
narrative  told  by  Bishop  Chase : 

"In  the  year  of  our  Lord,  1824,  the  British  Parlia- 
ment was  much  divided  on  the  great  question  of  the 
National  Redemption  of  the  Colored  population  in  the 
West  Indies. 

"Now  there  was  a  man  in  London,  a  member  of 
Parliament,  who  acted  with  Mr.  Wilberforce  in  most 
things,  and  was  his  particular  friend  in  this.  This 
man's  name  was  Joseph  Butterworth,  a  gentleman  of 
great  benevolence  and  intimately  acquainted  with  the 
police  of  London.  Through  this  channel  he  had 
known  me  ever  since  I  took  up  my  residence  in  No. 
10  Featherstone  Buildings.     He  knew  that  I  was  there 


Friends  and  Foes  175 

unknown  and  unnoticed  from  November  until  Spring, 
and  he  had  thought  little  of  me,  because  others  did 
so,  and  how  came  Mr.  Butterworth  to  think  otherwise 
of  the  neglected  being  living  in  No.  10  Featherstone 
Buildings,  High  Holborn?  Simply  because  Dr.  Robert 
Dow  of  New  Orleans  came  to  town.  How  could  this 
gentleman  influence  Mr.  Joseph  Butterworth?  The 
story  was  this : 

"Dr.  Dow  had  emigrated  from  Scotland  to  New 
Orleans  when  young  in  his  profession.  In  that  city  he 
had  accumulated  a  fortune  and  desired  to  spend  the 
evening  of  his  days  in  his  native  Cathcart,  among  his 
relatives.  He  removed  from  New  Orleans  to  Scot- 
land ;  stopping  in  London  to  invest  his  funds,  he  in- 
quired who  was  a  proper  person  to  give  him  advice, 
when  he  was  referred  to  Mr.  Joseph  Butterworth. 
After  this  interview  a  conversation  occurred,  some- 
thing like  this : 

Mr.  B. — So  you  are  from  America,  Dr.  Dow? 

Dr.  D. — Yes,  just  arrived  and  now  my  pecuniary 
concerns  are  settled,  shall  hasten  on  to  Scotland. 

Mr.  B. — Were  you  acquainted  with  Bishop  Chase? 

Dr.  D. —  Yes,  he  used  to  be  our  pastor  in  New 
Orleans,  and  I  was  his  physician  and  his  intimate 
friend. 

Mr.  B. — If  this  be  the  case,  you  can  tell  us  some- 
thing of  his  real  character,  is  it  good  or  otherwise? 

Dr.  D. — Always  good;  and  why  the  question?  Is 
he  in  town? 

Mr.  B. — He  is,  and  has  been  since  November  last, 
and  while  another  American  prelate  who  has  also  been 
in  town  during  the  same  period  is  treated  with  great 
respect,  he  is  neglected,  and,  from  what  is  circulated  in 


176  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

the  papers,  it  is  presumed  that  the  ill  opinion  of  him 
is  in  some  way  well  founded.  Pray  put  us  right  in  this 
respect,  if  we  be  wrong. 

Here  the  honest  Dr.  Dow  took  occasion  to  express 
both  his  surprise  at  what  had  been  uttered  by  Mr.  B. 
and  to  answer  his  question,  in  a  manner  the  most 
favorable. 

Mr.  B, — But  there  must  be  something  singular  in 
this  gentleman  or  he  would  not  be  voluntarily  in  the 
situation  in  which  the  British  public  now  regards  him. 

Dr.  D. — Singular!  I  never  knew  anything  singular 
in  him  but  his  emancipating  his  yellow  slave,  and  that 
I  should  suppose  would  not  injure  him  here  in  Eng- 
land, though  we  in  New  Orleans  thought  it  foolish,  as 
well  as  singular." 

Here  the  Doctor  told  the  story  of  the  yellow  slave 
Jack,  which  appears  in  a  previous  chapter.  This  story 
caused  a  great  alteration  in  Mr.  Butterworth's  mind. 
Bishop  Chase  and  Mr.  Butterworth  after  this  became 
friends,  and  the  former  writes  of  meeting  Dr.  Jebb, 
the  Bishop  of  Limerick,  the  Rev.  Leigh  Richmond, 
and  many  others  at  the  latter's  house. 

The  Ohio  cause  grew  and  waxed  strong,  and  sub- 
scriptions of  considerable  amount  came  in,  few  could 
tell  why.  The  cause  of  this  wonderful  change  was  un- 
known until  some  time  after  the  Bishop  received  a  let- 
ter from  Dr.  Dow,  giving  an  account  of  this  disclosure. 
Dr.  Dow  says:  "I  pressed  the  fact  on  the  mind  of 
good  Mr.  Butterworth  that  you  willingly  emancipated 
your  slave,  though  he  was  an  ungrateful  fellow.  I 
mentioned  it  as  a  proof  of  your  consistency  of  conduct, 
as  relates  to  your  profession  and  the  part  of  the  United 
States  you  inhabit." 


CHAPTER  XXII 

ENGLISH    HOMES   AND   FRIENDS 

IT  will  be  remembered  that  in  the  winter  of  1821-22, 
the  Bishop  had  sent  a  letter  in  answer  to  the  in- 
quiries of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Jarvis  of  Boston  as  to  the  ways 
and  means  by  which  the  Episcopate  of  Ohio  was  sup- 
ported. This  answer,  though  composed  in  haste  while 
surrounded  by  painful  circumstances  and  only  intended 
for  the  eye  of  a  friend,  yet  might  be  supposed  to  be 
somewhat  descriptive,  and  feelingly  expressed.  It 
went  into  some  particulars  of  privation  and  suffering, 
too  humiliating  to  the  Church  to  be  exhibited  to  the 
gratification  of  her  enemies,  or  the  mortification  of  her 
friends ;  yet  every  word  was  true,  and  served  to  show 
not  the  ways  and  means  by  which  the  Bishop  of  Ohio 
was  supported,  but  that  there  was  no  support  at  all, 
that  he  travelled  at  his  own  expense,  that  he  paid  his 
laborers  to  earn  his  bread  at  home,  and  when  the  means 
to  do  this  failed,  he  had  to  labor,  wait  on  himself,  and 
perform  the  menial  offices  of  his  domestic  affairs, 
though  at  the  same  time  discharging  the  duties  of  the 
Episcopate,  also  those  of  a  parochial  clergyman. 

This  letter,  long  since  forgotten,  was  actually  in  the 
hands  of  a  lady  in  London,  who  had  been  several  times 
in  his  company  at  Mr.  G.  W.  Marriott's  in  Queen's 
Square,  silently  listening  to  what  was  said  of  and  by 

177 


178  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

the  American  Bishop  till  she  was  convinced  that  it  was 
he  who  had  written  the  letter.  She  desired  an  inter- 
view. Her  letter  was  dated  on  Good  Friday  evening, 
and  expressed  a  wish  to  see  the  Bishop  at  the  house  of 
her  relative,  adding  these  words : 

"I  assure  you  I  feel  that  you  will  do  me  a  great 
favor  in  coming  so  far,  but  I  hope  you  will  not  regret  it. 
I  am, 

"Most  truly  and  affectionately  yours, 

"Duff  Macfarlane." 

The  Bishop  says: 

"The  invitation  to  breakfast  with  this  lady  was  ac- 
cepted. The  conversation  was  on  ordinary  topics  till 
the  breakfast  was  over.  It  was  then  that  she  produced 
the  letter  and  asked  if  I  were  the  author  of  it.  Some- 
thing like  amazement  ensued.  The  eye  ran  rapidly 
from  one  end  of  a  very  indifferent  letter  to  the  other, 
and  the  signature  could  not  be  denied,  nor  the  con- 
tents of  the  letter.  I  had  forgotten  many  things,  and 
had  to  read  several  lines  together,  in  order  to  refresh 
the  memory.  At  length  all  rose  to  view,  and  that  the 
whole,  perhaps,  was  presented  as  an  obstacle  to  be  sur- 
mounted by  an  apology  for  having  disgraced  the  Church 
by  submitting  to  menial  employments.  The  truth  was 
that  since  in  England  I  had  become  so  accustomed  to 
find  obstacles  laid  in  my  way,  that  everything  coming 
suddenly  upon  me  partook  of  the  quality  of  stratagem. 
This  idea  was  soon  dissipated  by  the  kindness  of  the 
lady  who  repeated  the  question:  'Are  you,  sir,  the 
author  of  this  letter?'  'Yes,  Madam.  And  I  have 
reason,  I  think,  to  ask  how  this  letter  came  into  your 


English  Homes  and  Friends  179 

possession? '  In  answering  this,  the  lady  went  into  a 
history  of  the  whole  matter.  She  said  her  father  had 
written  to  Dr.  Jarvis  requesting  some  information  con- 
cerning the  American  Church,  the  number  of  dioceses 
and  clergy,  the  manner  of  raising  the  salaries  for  the 
bishops;  that  Dr.  Jarvis,  after  some  delay,  had  sent  an 
answer  in  respect  to  all  the  dioceses  but  that  of  Ohio, 
the  Bishop  of  which,  he  said,  was  under  peculiar  diffi- 
culties, on  which  he  would  make  no  comment,  but  send 
his  own  letter  to  speak  for  itself,  hoping  to  apologize 
to  the  Bishop  for  the  liberty  taken  when  they  should 
next  meet.  This  lady  had  influence  with  others,  and 
through  the  same  information,  which  she  disseminated, 
the  cause  gained  friends. 

"Lady  Rosse  was  made  acquainted  with  the  Ohio 
cause  through  Miss  Macfarlane  alone,  and  on  her 
munificence,  it  may  be  said,  the  crowning  success  of 
the  whole  depended.  In  this  train  of  providential 
events,  the  ugly  letter  which  was  written  under  the 
most  painful  circumstances  was  the  means  of  great 
good  to  Ohio." 

On  the  evening  preceding  Good  Friday,  1824,  the 
Bishop  received  the  sad  news  of  the  death  of  his  be- 
loved son  Philander,  in  a  letter  from  Bishop  Bowen  of 
South  Carolina,  who  said : 

"I  have  reason  to  believe  that  Philander  died  in 
perfect  peace,  having  been  blessed  throughout  his 
illness,  and  even  to  his  latest  moments,  with  the  spirit 
of  the  serenest  resignation.  'Tell  my  father,'  said  he 
to  me,  very  shortly  before  his  death,  'that  to  be  sepa- 
rated from  him  thus  early  is  the  bitterest  part  of  death ; 
tell  him  I  died  in  perfect  faith  in  the  merits  of  my 
Saviour  and  the  mercies  of  my  God,  though  sometimes, 


i8o  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

through  the  sense  of  sin  not  unrepented  of,  but  yet 
possibly  unpardoned,  trembling  and  afraid.'  To- 
day, the  3d  of  March,  we  committed  his  remains  to 
the  ground.  His  funeral  was  attended  by  all  the 
clergy  of  our  Church  in  this  city." 

Of  this  event  the  Bishop  speaks  in  this  way:  "I 
have  lived  to  see  my  dear  Philander  pass  through  the 
years  of  childhood  and  youth ;  I  have  lived  to  be  the 
instrument  of  his  ordination  to  the  Christian  ministry ; 
I  have  seen  him  a  husband  and  father ;  he  is  now  gone, 
having  finished  his  course,  short  indeed ;  he  has  now 
entered  into  his  rest,  leaving  me  to  travel  the  rest  of 
my  journey  alone.     It  is  God's  will;  I  am  content." 

One  may  conceive  something  of  the  agony  of  this 
moment,  although  comforted  with  the  certainty  of  the 
dear  young  man's  fitness  for  another  life,  for  human 
nature  can  but  sorrow  at  the  early  coming  of  death  to 
one  so  fitted  for  usefulness  and  happiness, — a  young 
husband  and  father,  dying  far  from  his  home,  yet  ten- 
derly cherished  and  cared  for  by  kind  friends^  particu- 
larly the  Rev.  Mr.  Rutledge,  who  was  to  him  a  loving 
brother  even  unto  the  last.  Philander  was  buried 
under  the  chancel  window  of  historic  St.  Michael's, 
where  this  beloved  one  now  rests  in  the  peace  of 
God. 

After  Easter,  the  sun  of  success  began  to  shed  gen- 
uine cheer  upon  the  Bishop's  hopes.  Many  generous 
and  kind  friends  were  touched  by  his  manly  and  ear- 
nest life,  and  although  in  deep  sorrow  and  in  sore 
difficulties,  his  honest  purposes  were  apparent.  His 
unfeigned  desire  to  carry  "the  faith  once  delivered  to 
the  Saints"  to  those  who  so  sorely  needed  it  was  so 
sincere  that  many  generous  souls  responded.     It  was 


Eno-Hsh  Homes  and  Friends  i8i 

o 

said  that  "England  had  not  seen  such  a  bishop  in  a 
thousand  years." 

The  interview  with  the  venerable  Bishop  of  Durham 
is  one  of  the  pleasing  incidents  connected  with  this 
period.  He  was  ninety  years  old,  yet  well  and  cheer- 
ful. 

Another  effort  contrary  to  the  alleged  withdrawal  of 
the  opposition  to  the  Ohio  cause  was  made.  This  and 
other  extraordinary  efforts  at  this  time,  instead  of  in- 
juring the  cause  of  Ohio,  induced  good  men  to  reverse 
their  opinions,  as  shown  in  the  following  extract  from 
a  letter: 

"I  received  your  packet  with  the  appeal  yester- 
day, and  to  say  that  I  was  pleased  with  it,  is  to  say 
but  little.  I  was  surprised  and  delighted.  It  made 
me  at  once  close  with  Bishop  Chase's  views,  notwith- 
standing all  I  had  heard.  Bishop  Chase's  zeal  is  with- 
out any  mixture  of  fanaticism.  What  he  says  of  the 
young  men  being  educated  in  Ohio,  and  all  the  reasons, 
bring  the  recollection  of  facts  with  which  we  are  all 
acquainted.  I  am  particularly  obliged  to  you  for 
sending  me  the  appeal.  If  you  have  a  copy  of  my 
sermon  remaining,  pray  give  it  to  Bishop  Chase  as 
from  a  clergyman  beyond  the  mountain  who  has  read 
and  feels  his  appeal.  Mr.  McKenzie  has  just  read  it. 
I  never  saw  him  in  such  raptures  with  anything." 

This  letter  was  from  the  Rev.  Charles  Fyvie,  Inver- 
ness, Scotland. 

Meantime  the  Bishop's  early  and  faithful  friends 
continued  their  kind  offices,  cheering  his  anxious  heart 
by  loving-kindness  in  every  way. 

About  the  middle  of  May,  Lady  Rosse  sent  the 
fourth  hundred  pounds. 


i82  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

The  Bishop  during  June  visited  Cambridge  and 
afterwards  at  Brampton  Park,  the  house  of  Lady 
OHvia  Sparrow,  which  he  describes  in  a  letter  to  his 
wife: 

"The  walks,  the  gardens,  the  fields  and  flowers, 
joined  to  many  paintings  and  much  beautiful  statuary, 
were  all  surveyed.  Lady  Olivia  is  a  grandmother,  yet 
is  apparently  quite  young  and  beautiful;  her  equal  in 
this  respect,  I  think  I  have  never  seen.  Like  us,  she 
lost  a  darling  son  with  consumption.  Her  household 
is  very  numerous.  When  assembled  for  prayers  in  the 
great  hall,  I  counted  fourteen  maids  and  many  men 
servants.  A  poor  blind  girl,  trained  for  the  purpose, 
played  the  organ,  and  few  congregations  have  I  ever 
heard  sing  more  melodiously." 

The  Bishop  also  writes  of  a  visit  in  another  English 
home: 

"I  am  now  at  the  vicarage  of  Great  Horkesley,  the 
present  incumbent  being  the  Rev.  William  Ward. 

"The  country,,  as  we  rode  swiftly  through  it,  was 
level  and  the  hamlets  pleasant.  The  tired  horses  with 
which  we  started  were  sent  back,  and  the  rest  of  the 
journey  performed  by  relays.  These,  as  we  passed 
on,  were  furnished  at  the  proper  stages  with  great 
speed.  No  silence  in  such  a  ride  as  this.  Neither  dis- 
tance nor  time  is  counted. 

"At  four,  arrived  at  Horkesley.  The  fields  invited  us 
to  walk.  We  strolled  together  to  a  point  whence  we 
could  overlook  Nayland,  the  place  so  dear  to  Lord 
Kenyon  as  a  pupil,  and  to  myself  as  a  sincere  admirer 
of  the  Rev.  William  Jones.  Nayland  is  in  a  valley. 
A  small  river  runs  through  its  verdant  and  flowery 
bosom.     The  gently  rising  grounds  adorned  the  reced- 


English  Homes  and  Friends  183 

ing  view,  and  in  the  midst  was  the  modest  church  where 
once  that  holy  preacher  proclaimed  the  Gospel.  In 
distant  prospect  on  every  side  are  six  churches,  the 
names  of  which  were  told  me,  but  I  have  forgotten 
them.  No  matter,  Nayland  church  is  enough  for  me 
now  to  dwell  upon. 

"Turning  our  faces  to  Horkesley  vicarage,  how  pleas- 
art  was  our  converse !  The  glebe  proving  by  its  neat- 
ness the  incumbent's  taste  and  virtue;  its  walks,  how 
well  kept ;  its  trees,  how  well  trimmed ;  its  flowers,  how 
fragrant,  and  how  tastefully  arranged, — but  what  are 
these  compared  with  the  inhabitants  within?  There 
was  Charlotte,  gentle  in  her  manners,  next  sat  Mary 
with  several  smaller  buds  of  promise, — and  here  comes 
the  dinner,  entirely  English,  plenty  without  profusion, 
the  best  served  in  the  best  manner.  The  day  passed 
off,  as  few  do  in  this  mortal  world,  without  a  subject 
of  regret." 

"  Whit  Sunday,  1824, 
"I  spent  this  holy  day  in  Nayland  church.  What 
pleasure  mingled  with  reverence  did  I  enjoy,  as  I 
entered  this  venerable  building  and  saw  the  pulpit 
where  that  good  man  preached,  and  received  the  Sacra- 
ment from  the  Altar  of  the  Lord  where  he  once  min- 
istered !  In  the  vestry  there  is  a  vault  stone  under 
which  are  the  earthly  remains  of  the  author  of  the 
Catholic  Doctrine  of  the  Trinity. 

The  Bishop  says:  "I  remember,  long  afterwards, 
my  feelings  when  I  knelt  at  the  altar  with  good  Lord 
Kenyon  and  his  friend  Marriott,  and  how  I  realized 
afresh  there  the  Communion  of  Saints.  I  remember  re- 
turning with  my  friends  to  Horkesley  and  attending  the 


184  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

afternoon  service,  where  Mr.  Ward,  the  vicar  (after- 
ward the  Lord  Bishop  of  Sodor  and  Man)  officiated. 
I  remember  going  from  the  church  to  the  vicarage  and 
witnessing  the  order  and  beauty  of  an  English  family, 
bred  up  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord, — 
their  zeal  for  the  truth,  their  sympathy  in  the  suffering 
of  others," 

After  the  Bishop's  return  to  London,  through  the 
agency  of  Mr.  Butterworth,  the  Bishop  attended  a 
meeting  of  the  charity  children  in  St.  Paul's  Cathedral. 
He  writes : 

"A  more  imposing  sight  was  never  presented  to 
my  view, — these  little  ones  of  the  Church,  collected 
by  her  maternal  care  from  the  most  indigent  portions 
of  the  city,  clothed,  fed,  and  educated  by  her  tender- 
ness and  at  her  expense, — thirty  thousand  the  whole 
number.  The  third  part  now  actually  assembled 
in  decent  attire,  as  is  their  annual  custom,  to  appear 
before  the  Lord  in  the  vast  amphitheatre  of  praise 
and  thanksgiving  to  Him  who  made  the  world  and  re- 
deemed mankind  for  the  Light  of  His  glorious  Gospel, 
without  which  the  world  would  never  have  known  a 
Charity  School,  made  no  ordinary  impression  on  my 
mind.  I  will  always  remember  it  as  a  means  of  mercy 
and  grace  to  my  soul  forever." 

At  about  this  time  the  Bishop  was  accorded  an  inter- 
view with  the  Archbishops  of  York  and  Canterbury. 
After  certain  explanations  were  made  regarding  the 
state  of  the  Church  in  America,  these  great  men  in  the 
Church  came  to  another  and  better  understanding  in 
regard  to  the  work  of  the  Church  in  Ohio. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

FAREWELL   AND    HOME   AGAIN 

THE  Bishop  was  now  making  ready  for  the  long 
journey  home.  His  last  days  in  London  were 
crowded  with  events,  visitors,  dining  and  breakfasting 
with  old  friends  and  new  friends.     He  writes : 

"On  Friday  morning  dined  with  Lord  Bexley,  Lord 
and  Lady  Teignmouth.  On  Saturday,  the  12th  of 
June,  I  set  off  for  Oxford  before  breakfast.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  G.  W.  Marriott  and  good  Mr.  Pratt  came  into  my 
little  parlor  at  my  lodgings  to  see  me  and  to  help  me 
to  get  ready,  arrange  my  papers  and  wardrobe,  and 
above  all,  to  encourage  and  bless  me.  In  recurring  to 
this  fact  even  at  this  distant  time,  I  can  hardly  refrain 
from  tears  when  I  recall  their  kindness, — how  disinter- 
ested, how  benevolent,  and  how  tender!  " 

The  Bishop's  visit  at  Oxford  at  this  time  was  profit- 
able in  many  ways.  It  gave  him  an  opportunity  to 
clear  up  some  painful  misunderstandings,  and  to  make 
new  and  powerful  friends,  among  them  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Dallin  of  York. 

The  Bishop  says  of  his  visit  to  Oxford:  "I  received 
the  Holy  Communion  from  the  hands  of  the  Bishop  of 
Oxford.  At  the  ordination  in  Christ  Church  services 
were  very  impressive;  attended  St.  Mary's;  Mr.  J. 
Bull  preached  an  excellent  sermon.     Dined  in  the  Hall 

185 


1 86  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

of  Oriel  with  the  Vice-Provost  and  the  fellows  most 
agreeably.  Attended  evening  prayer  in  Oriel  Chapel. 
Nothing  can  exceed  the  order  and  beauty  of  God's 
worship  as  exemplified  in  these  young  men.  On  Mon- 
day, the  14th  of  June,  dined  with  Dr.  MacBride,  Master 
of  Magdalene, — present  the  Dean  of  Exeter,  who  was 
Provost  of  Worcester  College,  the  Vice-Provost  of 
Oriel,  Mr.  Pusey,  Mr.  Duncan  of  New  College,  Mr. 
Barnes,  and  the  Vice-Chancellor  of  the  University. 

"At  New  College  the  dinner  was  most  pleasant,  the 
company  of  the  students  and  fellows  agreeable.  I 
attended  their  chapel  services;  the  anthems  in  choirs 
are  exquisite,  the  grounds  and  gardens  attached  to  the 
college  are  very  pleasing,  from  them  we  have  a  view  of 
the  magnificent  tower  of  Magdalene." 

On  the  24th  of  June,  the  Bishop  breakfasted  with 
good  Mr.  Pratt  and  family,  and  the  same  day  went 
with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Marriott  to  Mitcham.  The  object 
of  his  journey  was  to  pay  a  visit  to  Mr.  Hoare,  the 
banker,  and  to  be  introduced  to  his  daughter  and  son- 
in-law,  Sir  Thomas  and  Lady  Acland.  In  the  course 
of  the  afternoon  Sir  Thomas  urgently  requested  that 
he  might  introduce  the  Bishop  to  his  friends  in  Bristol, 
Blaise  Castle,  Barleywood,  and  Devonshire.  He  went 
to  London  the  same  evening,  and  the  next  day  dined 
with  Mr.  J.  Goldsmith,  and  met  Mrs.  Frederick  Thurs- 
ton, Lord  and  Lady  Seymour,  Colonel  Cheney,  Bishop 
Jebb  of  Limerick,  Rt.  Rev.  Henry  Goulbourn  and  his 
brother  Edward, — a  delightful  company. 

The  26th  of  June  the  Bishop  spent  in  the  ancient 
city  of  Colchester,  and  went  to  see  once  more  the  dear 
friends  at  Horkesley,  spending  Monday  in  Colchester 
and  then  a  day  at  Blaise  Castle  with  many  friends. 


Farewell  and  Home  Again  187 

Never  was  there  a  more  kind  and  sympathizing  people 
than  the  Christian  citizens  of  Colchester,  old  England. 
At  parting  these  friends  kneeled  down  to  pray  for  a 
farewell  blessing. 

On  June  29th  the  Bishop  went  to  London,  the  scene 
of  his  sorrows  and  joys,  and  this  day  the  scene  of  his 
farewells.  Mr,  Marriott  accompanied  him  to  Picca- 
dilly, and  there  at  half-past  eight,  June  29th,  1824, 
they  parted  to  meet  no  more  till  the  Great  Day. 

The  Bishop  rode  all  night,  arriving  at  Bristol  at  ten 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  enjoying  a  bachelor  break- 
fast with  the  Dean  of  Bristol.  After  this  he  accom- 
panied Sir  Thomas  and  Lady  Acland  to  Barleywood, 
the  home  of  Hannah  More.  The  note  received  by  the 
Bishop  from  Mrs.  Hannah  More  is  characteristic  of  her 
and  her  age : 

"Mrs.  Hannah  More  presents  her  most  respectful 
regards  to  the  Bishop  of  Ohio.  By  a  letter  just  re- 
ceived from  Sir  Thomas  Acland  she  is  encouraged  to 
flatter  herself  with  the  hope  of  a  visit  from  the  Bishop 
on  Friday.  Honors  are  not  always  pleasures,  but  in 
the  accomplishment  of  this  kind  plan  they  will  be  iden- 
tified. Sir  Thomas  hopes  to  get  away  from  his  sick 
sister  in  time  to  accompany  the  Bishop.  Should  that 
not  be  the  case,  Mr.  Harford  will  have  the  goodness  to 
give  him  the  necessary  information  for  reaching  Barley- 
wood,  where  he  will  condescend  to  visit  a  convalescent 
in  her  sick  chamber,  who  will  be  much  gratified  to  see 
him." 

The  Bishop  writes:  "Towards  the  stranger  from 
America,  her  manners  were  in  every  respect  engaging. 
With  Sir  Thomas,  Mrs,  More  used  all  cordial  frank- 
ness, elevated  sentiment,  and  chastened  wit.     Not  a 


1 88  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

moment  of  time  was  lost.  Words  fitly  spoken  'like 
apples  of  gold  in  network  of  silver  '  filled  .  .  .  the 
conversation." 

On  the  5th  of  July  the  Bishop  visited  the  venerable 
Cathedral  at  Exeter,  spending  a  very  happy  day  at  Sir 
Thomas  Acland's.  It  was  Lady  Acland  who  was  in- 
strumental in  purchasing  the  printing-press  and  types 
for  the  Ohio  Seminary,  which  became  of  much  im- 
portance to  the  Bishop's  friends.  Sir  Thomas  accom- 
panied him  in  his  post-chaise  a  long  way  on  his  road 
back  to  Bristol,  where  among  his  many  letters  he  re- 
ceived the  following  from  Lord  Kenyon : 

"Gredington,  June  26,  1824. 

"My  very  dear  Bishop: 

"Like  dear  Mr.  Marriott,  I  feel  quite  grieved  at  the 
thought  of  bidding  you  farewell,  probably  forever  in 
this  world.  In  all  such  sorrows  the  true  comfort  is, 
what  I  have  experienced  in  my  most  melancholy  loss, 
the  hope  of  the  faithful,  and  the  reflection  that  time  is 
very  short  compared  to  eternity.  Very  sincerely  shall 
I  feel  the  like  comfort  in  parting  with  you,  my  much- 
prized  friend.  And  all  the  intercourse  I  have  had  with 
you,  and  all  I  have  known  of  your  doings  have  but  in- 
creased these  consolations,  and  the  humble  endeavors 
not  to  counteract,  but  by  God's  gracious  aid  to  en- 
deavor to  forward  His  unmerited  mercy. 

"I  shall  hope  to  meet  you  at  Manchester  on  the  loth, 
and  to  see  you  and  good  Mr.  Wiggin  at  my  venerated 
aunt's  at  Peel  Hall. 

"I  am  anxious  that  my  daughters  shall  see  you  and 
receive  from  you  that  apostolic  blessing  which  few  can 
value  more  than  I  shall  for  them.     .     .     . 


GEORGE,   LORD  KENYON.       Page 


Farewell  and  Home  Again  189 

"God  bless  and  prosper  you,  prays  your  obliged  and 
affectionate  friend, 

"Kenyon." 

Leaving  Bristol,  the  Bishop  writes  that  he  "found 
all  seats  in  common  coaches  taken,  and  was  obhged 
with  another  gentleman  to  hire  a  post-chaise,  rode  all 
night,  coachman  fell  asleep,  pitched  back  and  broke  in 
the  glass  window,  horses  took  fright,  fellow  passenger 
jumped  out,  coachman  having  recovered  his  seat,  gave 
the  reins  to  me  and  went  back  to  find  his  other  passen- 
ger, soon  came  up  and  helped  him  to  a  seat,  but  alas! 
he  had  lost  his  reason.  It  was  just  at  daybreak  when 
this  happened ;  the  man  growing  troublesome,  the 
coachman  was  ordered  to  drive  fast.  It  was  about  ten 
miles  to  Birmingham,  and  on  arriving  at  the  inn,  sent 
for  a  surgeon.  The  man  was  bled  and  came  to  his 
senses,  and  I  never  saw  a  more  grateful  person,  when 
told  what  had  happened. 

"Caution,  don't  jump  out  of  the  coach." 
After  this  the  Bishop  drove  to  Stretton  Hall,  the 
residence  of  Lady  Rosse,  his  benefactress.  Hitherto 
the  acquaintance  had  been  only  by  letter.  Now  it 
was  face  to  face.  Her  Ladyship  was  sitting  alone  at 
her  tea  table  when  the  Bishop  was  bidden  to  walk  in. 
She  said  afterwards:  "I  had  figured  to  my  mind  a 
small  and  emaciated  form  in  the  person  of  Bishop  C, 
but  instead  of  that  a  very  large  man  darkened  my 
door."  When  endeavoring  to  express  his  gratitude 
for  her  great  benevolence  to  the  Ohio  cause,  he  was 
stopped  on  the  threshold  of  his  speech  by  her  saying: 
"Bless  your  heart.  Bishop  Chase,  you  have  done  me  a 
greater  favor  than  I  you ;  I  am  more  blessed  in  giving 


igo  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

than  you  in  receiving.  God's  Words  assure  us  of  this; 
besides  your  cause  is  a  good  one,  and  I  am  morally 
sure  the  funds  will  not  be  misused,  and  that  is  more 
than  I  can  say  elsewhere.  When  good  Miss  Macfarlane 
wrote  me  of  your  case  and  pointed  out  the  way  in 
which  I  might  serve  you,  my  spirit  rejoiced,  and  I 
have  not  for  many  years  enjoyed  so  happy  a  winter." 

When  the  evening  was  at  a  close  Lady  Rosse  bade 
the  Bishop  farewell,  saying  she  should  probably  not  be 
awake  early  enough  to  bid  him  adieu.  The  next  morn- 
ing he  came  down  with  great  caution  lest  he  should 
awaken  his  hostess,  when  she  met  him  in  the  drawing 
room  with  many  good  wishes,  and  gave  him  Bishop 
Wilson's  Sacra  Privata,  a  book  that  was  always  very 
precious  to  him.  I  remember  distinctly  that  ever  after- 
ward the  Bishop  carried  this  little  book  and  used  it 
with  great  comfort. 

The  Bishop  records:  "On  the  9th  of  July  approach- 
ing Manchester.  The  pleasantness  of  the  evening,  the 
voices  of  boys  at  play,  the  mild  smoky  atmosphere,  the 
chapel  dimly  discovered,  my  heart  in  the  fond  expect- 
ancy of  embracing  friends,  the  truest  and  best  in  Eng- 
land. No  words  can  record  the  rest.  This  was  Mr. 
Wiggin's  home. 

"On  the  loth  of  July,  I  bade  farewell  to  this  dear 
place  and  went  with  Lord  Kenyon  to  the  home  of  his 
aunt  at  Peel  Hall.  This  singular  dwelling  united  many 
humble  houses,  was  built  in  days  of  yore,  the  last  in 
1637. 

"From  Peel  Hall  with  Lord  Kenyon  went  to  Liver- 
pool, where  Mr.  Wiggin  joined  us." 

Lord  Kenyon  came  over  to  the  city  on  July  15th, 
with  his  son  and  three  daughters,  for  a  farewell  inter- 


Farewell  and  Home  Again  191 

view,  which  was  accompanied  with  prayer  and  bene- 
diction. This  meeting  and  parting  will  long  be 
remembered ;  perhaps  those  who  knelt  together  may 
remember  it  still,  though  all  who  were  present  have 
doubtless  long  since  passed  "through  the  grave  and 
gate  of  death  into  the  Paradise  of  God."  Strange  to 
say,  the  Bishop's  old  neighbor  and  friend,  Dr.  Dow, 
formerly  of  New  Orleans,  came  to  see  him  here,  and 
confirmed  by  word  of  mouth  what  he  had  related  in 
the  letter  about  Mr.  Butterworth  being  won  to  the 
Ohio  cause  by  the  story  of  the  yellow  man  Jack. 

The  i6th  was  the  day  fixed  for  sailing  for  America, 
but  contrary  winds  prevented.  The  ship  Orbit,  Cap- 
tain Tinkham,  the  same  in  which  the  Bishop  sailed  for 
England,  took  him  back  to  America.  The  ship  sailed 
on  July  17th.  The  Bishop  writes  that  Sir  Charles 
Palmer,  Dr.  Trevor,  Dean  of  Chester,  and  others, 
came  to  the  ship  and  ceased  not  their  tokens  of  Eng- 
lish kindness  until  he  was  out  of  sight. 

Forty-three  days  were  spent  on  the  ocean  in  the 
months  of  July  and  August.  The  Bishop  arrived  in 
New  York,  August  29th.  His  landing  was  at  White- 
hall wharf,  where  not  a  year  before  he  had  said  good- 
by  to  his  son  Philander.  It  was  Sunday  night ;  church 
bells  were  ringing  for  evening  service  and  never  had  he 
more  reason  to  rejoice  and  say:  "Let  the  people  praise 
Thee  O  God,  yea,  let  all  the  people  praise  Thee." 

He  went  immediately  to  Kingston,  where  he  had  left 
his  family,  to  which  had  been  added  another  son,  and 
soon  went  to  Hartford  and  presented  him  before  the 
Lord  for  Holy  Baptism.  He  was  given  the  name  of 
that  dear  son  whom  God  had  taken  to  himself. 

To  cross  the  mountains  with  a  family  in   1824  was 


192  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

more  trouble  and  took  a  longer  time  than  to  go  to 
Europe  and  back  in  a  steamer  of  the  present  day. 
One  month  was  occupied  in  reaching  Worthington 
from  Kingston.  The  pleasant  home  in  Worthington 
was  embosomed  in  trees,  twenty  and  thirty  feet  high, 
covered  with  wild  grapes,  purposely  left  for  shade  and 
beauty.  One  may  imagine  the  pleasure  of  the  children 
and  their  elders  to  be  at  home  under  their  own  vines. 
The  peaches  were  ripe  and  the  apples  red  and  yellow 
in  the  orchard. 

It  was  on  the  return  voyage  on  the  ship  Orbit,  and 
during  the  Bishop's  stay  in  England,  that  he  made  the 
sketches  of  which  Bishop  Nichols  of  California  wrote 
so  charmingly  some  years  ago  in  the  Pacific  Church- 
?nati. 

He  says:  "It  would  be  safe  to  say  that  every  one  of 
the  narrowing  number  of  those  now  living  who  knew 
Bishop  Philander  Chase  (Bishop  of  Ohio,  and  late  of 
Illinois,  1819-1852),  retains  that  strong  personality  of 
his  in  sharp  and  clear  silhouette.  Even  a  stranger  who 
did  not  know  whom  he  was  addressing  once  said  to  the 
Bishop,  'Whoever  and  whatever  you  are,  I  know  you 
are  at  the  top.'  Most  of  those  who  were  in  any  way 
associated  with  Bishop  Chase  can  tell  a  characteristic 
story  or  two  of  him,  and  his  own  story  of  his  life  in 
the  two  volumes  of  his  published  Reminiscences  is  full 
and  not  easily  forgotten.  Though  the  writer  of  this 
belongs  to  a  later  generation,  he  has  had  some  choice 
opportunities  to  hear  such  anecdotes  and  to  learn  of 
the  rugged,  noble  manhood  and  telling  work  of  the 
pioneer  Bishop.  In  old  Christ  Church  parish,  Hart- 
ford, Connecticut,  where  the  writer's  rectorship  came 
sixty  years  after  the  rectorship  of  Bishop  Chase,  there 


REVERED  BE  THE  MEMORY 

OF 

PHILANDER   CHASE 

Ma<le  Deacon  in  St.  CicbrgeK  CKapM  NewYorK 
10.  May  1798. 

Ordained  Priest  in   St.  Pauls  Church 
NewYorK  (0, Nov.  1799. 
Rector  of  this  Pnristv  18(7  to  1822 
"      Elected  Bishop  of  Ohio  in  this "townl8l8 
CcnsecTatcdinSt.  James"  Chinch  Philadelphia 

H.Feb.  1819. 
Visited  England  in  (823  and  there  Taiscd 
aiarge  Portion  of  the-Fimds  for  Building 
Km  yon  College  of  ii/hichlnstUufion.  he 
was  the  Founder. 
In  1835  after  much  Persecution  resigned 
the  Diocese  of  Ohio. 

appointed  first  Bistxop  of  Illinois  Mar  9.J835. 
Died  Sept.  20,  1852. 


A  king; 

SAINT, 
MARTYR.  & 


apostle: 

^confessor: 

evangelist.' 


.  HE  WAS  A  MEMBER  OF 
F.  &    A.  M. 


NEW  ENGLAND  LODGE 
IN  THrS  TOWN. 


MURAL  TABLET,  WORTHINGTON,  OHIO 

Erected  by  English  Friends.       ^'i^e  ig2. 


Farewell  and  Home  Again  193 

survived  many  traditions  of  him,  and  a  few  of  the 
oldest  communicants  would  kindle  with  emotion  as 
they  fondly  told  of  their  experiences  of  his  faithful 
pastorship,  or  recalled  the  humorous  side  of  his  sayings 
and  situations.  Again,  Bishop  Chase  was  consecrated 
in  the  first  St.  James's  Church,  Philadelphia,  which 
brought  another  set  of  associations  with  him  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  writer.  And  then,  with  many  a  late- 
sitting  evening  group, 

Amaraq2ie 
Curaruin  elue?-e  efficax, 

has  the  writer  listened  to  reminiscences  and  unwritten 
history  of  the  good  Bishop,  from  one  and  another  of 
the  clergy  and  laity  who  were  privileged  to  know  him. 
And  the  massive  mahogany  door  of  a  certain  episcopal 
library  in  Middletown,  Connecticut,  as  it  opens  upon 
many  a  treasured  memory,  opens  into  the  presence  of 
one  than  whom  few  had  better  facilities  for  appreciat- 
ing Bishop  Chase.  And  that  same  door,  I  suspect, 
has  opened  upon  some  of  the  best  stories  that  have 
been  told  of  Bishop  Chase — or  anybody  or  anything 
else  for  that  matter — as  its  hospitable  hinges  have 
swung  to  the  cheery  'Come! '  of  the  Presiding  Bishop, 
the  Bishop  of  Connecticut. 

"And  yet,  notwithstanding  this  somewhat  excep- 
tional acquaintance  with  the  character  and  work  of 
Bishop  Chase,  it  was  left  to  a  summer  outing  of  the 
writer,  and  to  happy  days  spent  in  a  little  retired  sea- 
side hamlet  in  California,  a  score  or  so  of  miles  north  of 
the  '  Heads  '  of  the  Golden  Gate,  to  learn  something 
of  Bishop  Chase  that  he  had  never  happened  to 
hear  before.     In  the  prized  scrap-book  of   a  faithful 


194  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

churchman,  ripe  in  service  as  in  years — Mr.  William  O. 
Andrews,  of  Bolinas  Bay, — was  preserved  a  collection 
of  pen  and  pencil  sketches  from  no  less  a  hand  than 
that  of  Philander  Chase.     The  collection  awoke  an  in- 
terest to  make  further  inquiry,  this  being  a  develop- 
ment of  no  small  relish.     Through  the  kindness  of  Mrs. 
G.  H.  Kellogg,  a  granddaughter  of  Bishop  Chase,  now 
a  faithful  communicant  and  active  auxiliary  member  of 
St.  Paul's  parish,  San  Rafael,  California,  the  writer  had 
access  to  a  manuscript  journal  of  the  Bishop's,  written 
during  his  visit  to  England  in  1824.     This,  too,  con- 
tained many  sketches  of  faces ;  and  that  fact,  together 
with   the   probability  that   the   little  leather   covered 
manuscript  book  was  but  one  of  a  series  from  which 
the  published  Reminiscences  of  the  first  trip  to  England 
were  taken — the  little  book  only  covering  an  incom- 
plete part  of  his  stay — would  indicate  that  the  sketches 
pasted  in  the  scrap-book  belonged  to  the  same  period. 
Among  them,  too,  is  one  of  the  Rev.  Sydney  Smith, 
suggesting  the  'power,  profundity  and  meaning  in  his 
countenance  '  that  a  Scotch  friend  noted  of  him  in  her 
journal,  and  at  the  same  time  catching  the  lips  as  if  in 
the  very  act  of  some  inimitable  saying,  like  that  when 
discoursing  on  ingenuities  of  torture  which  he  could 
show,  if  he  were  to  revise  Dante's  Inferno ;  'For  in- 
stance,   you,    Macaulay,    let  me    consider?     Oh,   you 
should    be   dumb.'      Then   there   are    other    strongly 
marked  English  profiles,   one  with  a  faint  outline  of 
bands  and  the  pose  of  a  preacher,  and  several  that 
without  names  afTord  opportunities  for  studies  in  iden- 
tification  which   might   interest   some  of  our  English 
friends, — especially  a  head  which  has  some  resemblance 
to  one  view  the  writer  has  seen  of  Sir  Walter  Scott. 


Farewell  and  Home  Again  195 

The  sketches  in  the  little  book  containing  the  manu- 
script journal  seem  to  have  been  made,  for  the  most 
part,  on  the  return  voyage  from  England  in  the  ship 
Orbit,  Captain  Tinkham,  July  17  to  August  30, 
1824.  They  show  marks  of  the  voyage,  both  in  the 
more  careful  drawing  and  shading  which  the  leisure  on 
shipboard  allowed  the  Bishop,  and  in  the  spirit  and 
action  of  the  subjects,  many  of  them  obviously 
sketched  while  on  sea  duty.  We  see  the  Orbifs  mate, 
Carleton  White,  of  Derby,  Connecticut,  with  his 
'weather  eye';  George  Wood,  the  steward;  the  un- 
named ship's  cook,  with  his  knife;  Charles  Crocker, 
New  Bedford;  John  Long,  John  H.  Harrison,  Henry 
Condon,  of  Rhode  Island,  and  John  Sisson, — these 
four  each  in  his  watch  at  the  wheel  steering;  then 
'Joseph  Kitto,  the  Dane,'  and  James  Robinson  in  two 
views,  either  one  of  which,  in  the  cast  of  feature,  well 
marks  the  nationality.  Lewis  Morton  and  David 
Lamon,  of  Maine,  were  probably  sailors,  and  John 
Hartley,    of  New   York,    George    B.    Woodworth,   of 

Massachusetts,  Mr. Marsh  and  a  head  unnamed, 

were  presumably  fellow-passengers.  Probably  to  some 
other  journal  belongs  the  sketch  of  an  'Ohio  wagon 
boy  '  on  one  of  the  pages.  It  is  not  impossible  that 
these  names  may  come  under  the  eyes  of  those  to-day 
who  will  have  the  interest  of  kinship  or  friendship  in 
the  sketches  with  which  Bishop  Chase  whiled  away 
some  of  his  hours  on  shipboard  now  more  than  three- 
score years  and  ten  ago.  It  would  be  interesting  to 
know  if  other  sketches  from  the  same  hand  have  not 
been  preserved.  And,  when  we  think  of  it,  it  was  no 
uncommon  thing  for  men  of  letters,  a  generation  or 
two  ago,  to  make  their  own  illustrations,  as  in  Thack- 


196  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

eray's  case.  Other  bishops  of  our  American  Church 
have  been  given  to  it,  as  we  believe  even  the  parish 
register  of  St.  John's  Church,  Hartford,  would  show 
during  the  rectorship  there  of  the  present  Bishop  of 
Western  New  York.  The  late  Dean  Burgon  was  given 
to  something  of  the  sort  in  his  letters ;  and  the  writer 
remembers  to  have  seen  a  curious  marginal  use  of  the 
human  profile  to  express  by  the  side  of  paragraphs 
approbation  or  disappointment  (as  the  case  might  be) 
with  the  mouth  curved  upward  or  downward,  by  some 
unknown  reader  of  Burnet  on  the  Articles.  Perhaps, 
in  these  days  of  illustrations,  there  is  something  after 
all  in  the  lines  which  a  California  poet  puts  on  the  lips 
of  a  child,  who  asks  an  author  to  write  her  a  book : 

"  '  I  don't  mean  the  pictures,  of  course,  for  to 
Make  them  you  've  got  to  be  smart; 
But  the  reading  that  runs  all  around  them 
You  know — just  the  easiest  part.'  " 


CHAPTER  XXIV 


FOUNDING   A   COLLEGE 


THE  Convention  met  on  the  2d  day  of  November, 
1824.  It  consisted  of  the  Bishop,  four  presby- 
ters, and  twenty-three  laymen.  The  Bishop's  address 
was  simply  a  recital  of  the  reasons  for  going  to  Eng- 
land, of  the  kindness  and  generosity  shown  him  per- 
sonally by  Christian  friends  in  the  Church,  and  of  the 
gifts  made  so  freely  for  the  purpose  of  founding  an  in- 
stitution of  religion  and  learning  in  Ohio,  with  a  state- 
ment of  the  same. 

Now  comes  the  question,  where  shall  the  college  be 
built?  Here  naturally  swarmed  broods  of  proposals, 
more  or  less  tinged  with  speculative  selfishness.  At 
this  time  the  school  went  on  at  Worthington  in  the 
Bishop's  house  and  farmhouse  and  other  buildings 
erected  at  his  own  expense,  mostly  of  logs.  He  se- 
lected his  own  teachers,  paying  them  from  his  own 
funds  and  what  he  collected  from  the  students.  "His 
wife  was  his  secretary,  his  housekeeper,  his  adviser,  and 
treasurer." 

Here  is  a  memory  of  the  school  at  Worthington, 
written  by  the  Rev.  Dudley  Chase,  giving  a  graphic 
picture  of  a  boy's  life  in  this  frontier  school: 

"This  School  of  the  Prophets  was  soon  gathered. 
As  boys,  however,  they  did  not  look  much  like  prophets, 

197 


198  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

or  behave  much  like  the  statesmen  or  clergymen  some 
of  them  afterwards  became.  About  thirty-five  was  the 
average  number  at  first  assembled.  To  accommodate 
them  temporary  buildings  of  logs  were  erected.  First, 
the  large  school-room  and  chapel,  then  three  houses  as 
lodging-rooms  for  advanced  scholars,  while  the  Bishop's 
house  was  the  domicile  for  the  teachers  and  small  boys ; 
and  all  ate  at  one  table. 

"Provisions  were  cheap  and  plenty  when  they  were 
accessible,  which  the  state  of  the  roads  did  not  always 
permit,  or  the  waters  were  too  high  or  too  low  to 
grind  the  grist.  Thus  sometimes  we  were  compelled 
to  feed  on  the  unground  corn  or  wheat  which  was  pre- 
pared with  art  unknown  to  cook-book,  so  that — as  the 
Israelites  when  they  first  saw  the  'manna'  in  the 
wilderness  said  'What  is  it? '  hence  the  name  'manna  ' — 
students  calling  for  the  new  dish  would  say  'Bring  me 
some  of  that.' 

"We  had  occasional  visits  from  the  outside  world, 
as  when  the  Convention  held  their  sittings  near;  then 
the  boys  could  try  the  mettle  of  the  parsons'  horses, 
stabled  in  the  Bishop's  spacious  barn.  Once  we  saw 
the  Hon.  Henry  Clay  drive  up  to  the  door  with  his 
coach-and-four  and  liveried  servants — our  future  states- 
man, Senator,  and  Secretary  of  State.  He  was  then 
'to  fortune  and  to  fame  unknown.' 

"Of  sports,  besides  the  usual  games,  there  were 
creek  and  mill-dam  where  we  could  bathe  and  skate. 
In  the  forest  there  were  numberless  squirrels  and  fur- 
bearing  animals  and  at  the  right  season  millions  of  wild 
pigeons  feeding  on  the  beechnuts ;  and  on  the  boundary 
fence  facing  the  forest  were  often  to  be  seen,  attracted 
by  the  ripening  corn,  flocks  of  large  fat,  wild  turkeys. 


;;^; 


GATEWAY  TO  KENYON   COLLEGE.       Pciff<^ 


Founding  a  College  199 

— fine  sport  for  those  who  could  or  were  allowed  to  use 
the  gun ;  and  those  who  could  not,  by  combining 
forces,  could  build  a  log-pen  in  the  forest  about  four 
logs  high,  cover  its  top  securely,  dig  a  trench  under- 
neath leading  upwards  into  it,  and,  by  strewing  corn 
into  this  and  outside,  the  simple  turkey  would  'walk 
into  the  parlor,'  but  never  thought  to  bend  its  neck  to 
creep  out  whence  it  came  in,  and  would  be  trying  to 
fly  upwards  to  get  out,  while  others  hearing  his  cries 
would  join  him,  and  so  several  at  a  time  would  be 
trapped. 

"  The  Indians  taught  us  how  to  call  the  male  bird 
when  in  the  spring  he  was  heard  from  a  great  distance, 
by  imitating  the  cry  of  the  female,  by  means  of  the 
hollow  bone  of  the  bird  preserved  for  that  purpose, 
and  thus  being  ourselves  concealed,  to  bring  them 
within  easy  gun  or  arrow  shot." 

Salmon  Portland  Chase  was  one  of  the  schoolboys 
at  Worthington.  The  two  following  stories  of  the 
Bishop  and  his  nephew  are  told  by  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Roberts : 

"There  must  have  been  a  strain  of  this  same  strenu- 
ous quality  running  through  that  remarkable  family ;  a 
quality  illlustrated  in  the  character  of  Judge  Chase,  the 
great  financier-minister,  who  issued  a  currency  in  the 
dark  days  of  the  Civil  War  which  afterwards,  as  Chief 
Justice,  he  had  the  nerve  and  honesty  to  pronounce 
unconstitutional.  A  brace  of  anecdotes  will  illustrate 
this.  One  is  told  by  himself  in  speaking  of  his  mates 
at  his  uncle's  school  at  Worthington:  'Every  now  and 
then  they  called  me  Yankee,  in  tones  not  altogether 
respectful.     At  length  I  could  not  bear  it  any  longer 


200  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

and  said  to  Tom  James,  "Tom,  if  you  call  me  Yankee 
again,  I  '11  kick  you."  "Well,"  said  he,  "you  are  a 
Yankee."  As  good  as  my  word  I  kicked  him,  and 
made  the  kick  just  as  severe  and  just  as  disagreeable 
as  I  could.  He  was  older  than  I,  and  I  expected  a 
fight.  But  instead  of  attacking  me  he  went  after  the 
Bishop  and  complained.  I  was  at  once  summoned  into 
his  presence.  ' '  Salmon, ' '  said  the  Bishop  very  gravely, 
"Tom  James  says  you  have  been  kicking  him.  Is  it 
true?"  "Yes,  sir."  "What  did  you  kick  him  for?" 
"Because  he  called  me  a  Yankee."  "Well,"  said  the 
Bishop,  "are  you  not  a  Yankee?  Your  father  was, 
and  I  am,  and  we  were  never  ashamed  of  the  name." 
"Yes,  sir,"  said  I,  "I  don't  mind  being  called  a  Yankee, 
but  I  won't  be  called  a  Yankee  so,''  with  a  pretty  de- 
cided emphasis  on  the  last  word.  The  Bishop  could 
not  help  smiling,  and  dismissed  me  with  a  reprimand 
which  I  did  not  mind  much.  I  was  not  called  a 
"Yankee  so"  after  that,  and  had  no  occasion  to  kick 
Tom  James  again. '     So  much  for  the  militant  quality. 

The  other  anecdote  illustrates  the  resolution  and  in- 
genuity which  overcame  unexpected  difficulties.  It  is 
given  in  Judge  Chase's  own  words  in  a  letter. 

"The  Bishop  and  most  of  the  elders  went  away  one 
morning,  he  having  ordered  me  to  kill  and  dress  a  pig 
while  they  were  gone.  ...  I  had  no  great  trouble  in 
catching  and  slaughtering  a  fat  young  porker.  And  I 
had  the  tub  of  hot  water  all  ready  for  plunging  him  in, 
preparatory  to  taking  off  his  bristles.  Unfortunately, 
however,  the  water  was  too  hot,  or  otherwise  in  wrong 
condition,  or  perhaps  when  I  soused  the  pig  in  it  I  kept 
him  in  too  long.  At  any  rate,  when  I  undertook  to 
take  off  the  bristles,  expecting  they  would  almost  come 


Founding  a  College  201 

off  themselves,  to  my  dismay  I  could  not  start  one  of 
them.  The  bristles  were  'set,'  in  pig-killing  phrase. 
What  should  I  do?  The  pig  must  be  dressed.  In 
that  there  must  be  no  failure.  I  bethought  me  of  my 
cousin's  razors,  a  nice,  new  pair,  just  suited  to  a  spruce 
young  clergyman,  as  he  was.  No  sooner  imagined 
than  done,  I  got  the  razors  and  shaved  the  pig  from 
toe  to  snout."  After  some  moralizing  upon  the  effect 
on  the  cousin's  morning  shave,  the  judge  finishes  by 
saying  "  'Where  there  is  a  will  there  is  a  way,'  and 
'there  are  more  ways  than  one  of  doing  a  thing,' 

Among  the  many  letters  from  English  friends  regret- 
fully omitted  is  one  from  his  delightful  friend  Marriott, 
who  speaks  of  Wyckliffe's  candlesticks, which  were  soon 
to  be  sent  him,  exact  copies  of  the  original  at  Lutter- 
worth, All  these  letters  from  England  were  filled  with 
rejoicing  and  thankfulness  for  the  success  in  laying  at 
least  the  foundations  of  the  great  work. 

The  year  1826  was  a  laborious  one,  as  the  Bishop 
says:  "My  duties  have  been  so  weighty  and  difficult 
and  discharged  so  imperfectly  that  they  need  the  for- 
bearance of  God  and  man.  Some  of  these  were  dio- 
cesan, many  connected  with  the  institution  of  learning 
and  religion  under  my  care,  and  not  a  few  to  struggle 
for  the  means  of  living.  Not  a  Sunday  was  passed 
without  holding  divine  service  twice,  except  two. 
Services  were  held  in  Worthington,  Columbus,  Dela- 
ware, Berkshire,  in  a  two  months'  journey,  during 
which  divine  service  was  held  and  the  Holy  Com- 
munion celebrated  every  day  and  a  sermon  preached." 

At  this  time  the  Bishop  relates  a  most  interesting 
story  of  a  visit  to  the  scattered  remnants  of  the  Oneida 
and  Mohawk  tribe,  who  still  retained  the  use  of  our 


202  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

liturgy,  taught  them  by  the  British  missionaries  when 
they  were  under  that  government.  The  Bishop,  accom- 
panied by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Coe,  travelled  on  a  dark  and 
gloomy  day  through  the  forest.  The  way  was  toward 
the  Sandusky  River.  They  missed  the  path  and 
travelled  many  miles  in  the  rain,  until  at  last  they 
reached  the  huts  of  the  Indians.  Some  old  men  and 
women  met  them  at  the  lowly  cabin  door.  The  Bishop 
found  them  not  like  heathen  ;  they  had  known  of  Jesus, 
their  Saviour,  from  youth ;  and  the  liturgy  of  the 
Church  of  England,  with  part  of  the  Book  of  Genesis 
and  the  Gospel  of  St.  Mark,  had  been  translated  into 
their  language  in  1787.  This  had  been  the  blessed 
means  of  handing  down  the  faith  to  this  generation. 
It  was  the  work  of  the  Society  for  Promoting  the 
Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts.  Divine  service  was  held 
with  these  Indians  on  the  next  morning.  They  came 
in  the  rain  in  goodly  numbers,  and  joined  with  one 
heart  and  voice  in  the  responses.  Before  parting  the 
Bishop  promised  to  take  several  of  their  young  men 
and  boys  and  board  and  educate  them,  looking  to  God 
for  means  and  ability  to  support  them.  Soon  after 
this  he  mentioned  the  subject  to  the  Secretary  of 
State,  who  referred  the  matter  to  the  Secretary  of 
War,  and  through  him  a  small  sum  was  granted  for  this 
object. 

In  the  month  of  November,  the  Bishop  went  again 
among  the  Mohawks  in  his  own  carriage  for  the  Indian 
lads;  and  six  of  the  young  Mohawks  returned  with 
him. 

This  year  the  president  and  professors  of  Kenyon 
College  in  the  State  of  Ohio  received  from  the  civil 
government  the  power  of  conferring  degrees. 


Founding  a  College  203 

The  Bishop's  address  this  year  (1826)  gives  a  grati- 
fying account  of  the  large  number  confirmed  and  the 
number  receiving  the  Communion.  He  informs  the 
members  of  the  Convention  concerning  the  purchase 
of  eight  thousand  acres  of  land  at  a  greatly  reduced 
price.  The  troublesome  question  of  location  was  now 
definitely  settled. 

The  amount  of  work,  parochial  and  diocesan,  added 
to  that  connected  with  the  great  scheme  of  the  Theo- 
logical Seminary  and  the  school  already  in  progress  for 
the  time  being  at  Worthington,  would  leave  little  time 
for  rest  for  any  one  in  the  immediate  neighborhood  of 
Bishop  Chase  in  the  year  1826.  Many  valuable  gifts 
were  sent  from  England  as  the  months  of  that  year 
flew  by, — books,  an  organ,  and  Lady  Acland's  printing- 
press,  paper,  and  types,  for  which  no  more  than  a  guinea 
was  asked  from  each  contributor  in  England.  The 
committee  this  year  reported  favorably  on  the  con- 
ditional purchase  of  eight  thousand  acres  in  Knox 
County.  The  land  was  fertile  and  well  watered,  with 
good  mill-sites,  well  timbered,  situated  near  the  middle 
of  the  diocese  in  a  healthful  climate.  To  found  such 
an  institution  "from  the  stump  "  was  said  to  be  "mad- 
ness." Under  these  circumstances  the  Bishop  went 
to  take  possession  of  the  land. 

Mr.  Douglas,  his  "hired  man,"  and  his  little  son 
Dudley  were  the  only  persons  who  went  from  Worth- 
ington to  the  promised  land  on  this  lonely  journey. 

Sixty  years  later,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Chase  (the  little  son 
Dudley)  writes  graphically  of  his  memory  of  this  event- 
ful journey. 

"The  Bishop  had  ridden  his  faithful  Cincinnatus,  I, 
a  pony  about  the  size  of  a  Shetland,  with  cropped  main 


204  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

and  tail,  a  real  pet.  At  Mt.  Vernon,  the  change  of 
scenery  had  begun  which  lifted  us  from  the  lowland 
and  beechwood  forests  to  the  rolling  hills,  the  clear 
waters,  and  the  chestnut  ridges  of  Knox  County.  We 
passed  our  first  night  in  a  log  cabin  at  the  foot  of  a  hill, 
and  in  the  morning  a  laborer  was  engaged  with  proper 
tools  to  cut  a  pathway  through  the  tangled  brush 
directly  up  the  hill  to  its  summit. 

"This  accomplished,  there  met  our  view  a  plain  of  a 
mile  or  more,  devoid  of  standing  trees,  but  a  perfect 
wilderness  of  fallen  ones,  the  result  of  some  wind- 
storm which  had  formerly  passed  over  it,  but  the 
undergrowth  had  so  interlaced  itself  with  the  fallen 
timber,  that  it  was  impossible  to  move  a  rod  without 
cutting  a  path.  A  few  boards  were  carried  up  the 
pathway  recently  made,  and  placed  against  a  chestnut 
tree  near  the  site  of  the  present  college  building;  and 
there  the  Bishop,  Mr.  A.  Douglas,  and  myself  ate  our 
first  noonday  meal  of  bread  and  bacon  on  Gambler 
Hill.  A  tent  of  split  timbers  was  soon  made  with  a 
'mud  and  stick  '  chimney,  bedsteads  made  of  stakes  and 
clapboards,  the  beds  of  straw,  and  thus  provided  with 
shelter  we  passed  the  summer.  The  workmen  mean- 
while cleared  the  grounds  and  made  roads.  Lying  on 
our  beds  of  straw  at  night  we  heard  the  howl  of  the 
wolf,  the  call  of  the  fox,  and  the  hoot  of  the  owl,  but 
in  daytime  we  were  more  seriously  annoyed  by  the 
numerous  rattlesnakes,  which  we  learned  by  experience 
only  the  presence  of  herds  of  swine  would  extirpate. 

"The  'Episcopal  Palace,'  until  the  main  college 
building  was  erected,  was  a  log  cabin  near  the  entrance 
of  the  present  college  grounds,  on  the  east  side  passing 
from  the  village  to  the  college.     Here  the  students 


Founding  a  College  205 

were  boarded  after  the  school  was  removed  from 
Worthington,  and  before  the  quarters  were  provided. 
I  remember  breakfast  at  six  in  the  winter  on  rye  bread 
baked  in  ovens  during  the  night ;  the  inside  only  of 
the  loaf  was  used,  but  it  was  hot,  sweet,  savory  and 
healthy. 

"For  the  accommodation  of  the  scholars  brought 
from  Worthington,  and  others,  before  permanent  build- 
ings were  erected,  there  were  block-houses,  used  as 
lodging-houses,  put  up  where  the  village  now  is. 

"There  was  a  frame  structure  opposite  where  Rosse 
Chapel  stands,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Avenue,  which 
was  named  by  the  students  'The  74,'  from  its  likeness 
to  frames  put  up  to  cover  ships  of  war  while  building. 
The  room  below  was  used  for  church  and  school ;  the 
upper  story  was  one  large  dormitory,  well  ventilated 
by  windows  above  and  below,  where  the  boys  had  their 
cots,  arranged  in  rows  as  in  a  hospital,  the  teacher  in 
charge  having  a  separate  room,  with  glass  windows,  for 
observation  at  all  times.  In  the  public  room,  used  for 
Sunday  services,  was  an  organ. 

"Out  of  school  hours,  the  boys  were  encouraged  to 
expend  their  energies  in  useful  ways  of  improving  the 
grounds.  Then  the  groves  which  now  adorn  the  sides 
of  Gambler  Hill  were  chiefly  brushwood,  and  portions 
of  these  were  marked  off  in  square  rods  and  each  boy 
could  choose  his  'claim  '  to  'grub  '  up  the  superfluous 
young  trees  and  save  and  trim  up  the  rest,  and  he  was 
paid  a  stipulated  sum  for  doing  this,  which  gave  him 
pocket  money  if  he  chose  to  secure  it.  The  fine  trees 
which  now  overtop  Ascension  Hall  were  thus  trimmed 
up  by  my  own  hands  when  a  boy." 

This  description  by  the  Rev.   Dudley  Chase  gives 


2o6  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

one  view.     Another  one  appears  in  the  following  letter 
from  the  Bishop  to  his  wife : 

"Gambier  Hill, 
"  Site  of  Kenyon  College,  June  3. 

"As  to  our  progress,  we  can  say  nothing  but  good 
things,  though  our  hands  are  so  few  and  everything  in 
such  a  rude  state  as  to  exhibit  but  Httle;  but  the  in- 
cipient of  this  lion-like  work  we  have  now  undertaken. 
The  well,  you  know,  was  the  first  thing  we  needed. 
As  soon,  therefore,  as  we  could  get  the  thick  bushes 
so  far  cleared  away  as  to  see  the  light  of  heaven  above 
and  the  surface  of  the  ground  beneath,  the  men  were 
ordered  to  begin  the  task  of  sinking  the  well.  This 
makes  the  third  day  we  have  spent,  and  we  have  dug 
eleven  feet,  a  great  part  of  which  is  through  a  rock. 
This  becoming  harder  and  harder,  I  have  resolved  to 
commence  the  use  of  an  auger;  apparatus  of  this  kind 
is  to  be  set  in  motion,  so  that  I  hope  by  the  middle  of 
next  week  to  see  this  work  of  boring  by  horse  power 
commenced  in  rapid  style.  If  you  ask  how  I  'get  on  ' 
without  money,  I  answer  'The  Lord  helpeth  me.' 
What  do  you  think  of  His  mercy  in  sending  good  Mr. 
Davis  with  half  a  cheese  from  his  mother  and  twenty- 
five  dollars  from  his  father,  presented  to  me  out  of 
pure  regard  to  the  great  and  good  work  which  God 
enables  me  thus  to  carry  on?  Mr.  Norton  has  sent  me 
three  hands  for  a  short  time.  We  have  built  us  a  tent 
cabin,  and  if  we  had  any  one  to  cook  for  us  we  should 
live  [comfortably]. 

"It  is  impossible  to  make  the  hands  board  them- 
selves. We  must  find  provisions  ourselves  or  have 
none  to  help  us. 


Founding  a  College  207 

"I  write  you  this  by  a  poor,  dim  hog's-lard  lamp, 
which,  shining  askance  on  my  paper,  will  hardly  permit 
me  to  say  how  faithfully  I  am 

"Your  affectionate  husband." 

A  story  which  Bishop  Chase  used  to  tell  nearly  sixty 
years  ago,  apropos  of  this  time,  will  show  that  among 
"the  people"  Bishop  Chase  was  not  considered  an 
autocrat.  A  company  of  gentlemen  were  travelling  by 
stage-coach  near  the  site  selected  for  Bishop  Chase's 
mill,  when  one  of  the  party  expressed  his  opinion  of 
the  Bishop's  plans  in  terms  of  great  contempt,  adding 
to  his  remarks  the  assertion  that  "Bishop  Chase  has 
virtually  no  friends."  In  these  damaging  assertions 
he  was  upheld  by  his  companions. 

The  conversation  continuing  in  this  strain,  the  driver 
after  a  while  turned  his  head  and  respectfully  said : 
' '  Gentlemen,  you  are  mistaken.  Bishop  Chase  has  one 
friend.  Look  there,"  pointing  to  a  narrow  stream 
running  through  a  point  of  low  land  near  the  mill-site; 
"I  say  Bishop  Chase  has  one  friend,  and  that  friend  is 
God.  He  dug  his  mill-race  for  him  in  the  storm  last 
week." 

To  balance  these  hardships,  the  Bishop  had  the 
pleasure  of  seeing  the  smiling  faces  of  a  few  Sunday- 
school  children  every  Lord's  Day.  They  came  through 
the  thick  bushes  from  the  little  cabins  within  a  circuit 
of  three  or  four  miles,  and  although  at  first  they  knew 
almost  nothing  of  the  letters  of  the  alphabet,  and  still 
less  of  the  Name  of  the  Lord,  yet,  finding  themselves 
received  and  entertained  with  kindness,  they  came  the 
second  time,  and  yet  again,  accompanied  by  some  others 
of  their  fellows,  till  in  point  of  numbers  the  Sunday- 


2o8  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

school  kept  under  the  well-pruned  bushes  of  Gambier 
Hill  was  quite  respectable.  It  was  summer,  and  here 
they  sat  on  the  temporary  seats  all  the  morning,  till 
time  for  prayers  and  sermon,  and,  during  the  intermis- 
sion at  noon,  were  taught  their  letters,  and  then  to 
read  the  Word  of  God  and  the  hymns  to  sing  His 
praise.  "If  even  one  of  these  little  children,  the  happy 
subjects  of  a  Saviour's  love,  be  brought  to  the  knowl- 
edge of  truth,  there  is  reason  to  rejoice." 

The  Rev.  Dudley  Chase  writes  of  this  early  mis- 
sionary work : 

"A  Sunday-school  had  been  early  organized  for  the 
benefit  of  the  benighted  children  of  the  surrounding 
country.  This  was  done  by  the  Bishop  before  there 
were  any  students  or  buildings  on  the  hill.  It  was  held 
under  the  trees,  and  split  rails  were  used  as  benches. 
When  the  Grammar  School  and  College  were  in  full 
operation,  this  truly  missionary  enterprise  was  ex- 
tended. I  remember  a  time  when  fifty  students 
habitually  took  an  early  morning  meal  of  eggs  and 
coffee  and,  being  excused  from  morning  prayer  at  the 
chapel,  went  forth,  two  and  two, — an  older  student 
being  put  in  charge  of  a  younger  assistant, — to  points 
within  a  radius  of  six  or  seven  miles  to  teach  the  young 
heathen  in  the  woods,  children  of  'the  squatters,'  for 
whom  no  one  had  yet  cared.  Thus,  in  time,  several 
hundred  children  were  brought  under  instruction. 

"My  post  was  a  school  about  a  mile  eastward  be- 
yond the  river.  My  leader  was  a  college  student.  We 
had  to  cross  the  river  in  a  canoe ;  attempting  this  at 
one  time  at  flood-tide  amid  floating  ice,  our  canoe  was 
upset,  and  I  should  have  been  lost  had  not  my  com- 
panion been  tall  and  strong  and  a  good  swimmer. 


Founding  a  College  209 

By  reason  of  long  exposure  to  chilling  fogs  in  this 
cabin  with  no  gable,  the  Bishop  fell  ill.  He  was  finally 
well  enough  to  be  taken  to  Mt.  Vernon,  where  he  was 
most  kindly  treated,  but  was  obliged  to  go  on  to  Ver- 
mont and  thence  to  Philadelphia  to  attend  the  General 
Convention,  without  returning  home. 

On  his  way  he  stopped  at  Oneida  to  confer  with  the 
Indian  chief,  for  the  purpose  of  taking  some  of  their 
young  men  to  study  for  orders.  It  was  agreed  that 
Abraham  La  Forte,  a  school-teacher  among  the  In- 
dians, should  be  solicited  to  go  to  the  seminary  and 
to  take  with  him  three  young  lads  from  the  Oneida 
tribe  in  this  place. 

That  year,  through  the  agency  of  Henry  Clay,  the 
Postmaster-General  established  a  post-office  at  Kenyon 
College. 

Suffering  great  bodily  pain  upon  arriving  in  Phila- 
delphia, the  Bishop  was  most  kindly  cared  for  by  the 
Rev.  Benjamin  Allen,  then  rector  of  St.  Paul's  Church. 
By  him  he  was  invited  to  his  own  house,  by  him  he 
was  accommodated  with  the  best  room,  the  best  bed, 
and  the  best  physicians  in  the  city.  Here  the  Bishop 
was  visited  by  Mr.,  afterwards  Dr.,  Bedell,  whom  he 
requested  to  circulate  A  Plea  for  the  West  in  behalf 
of  the  theological  seminary  of  Ohio.  This  was  granted. 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Allen  and  Rev.  Mr.  Bedell  came  into  the 
Bishop's  sick  room  and  read  the  first  draft  of  the  little 
Plea,  as  it  was  written  by  the  Bishop,  and  then  sat 
down  the  long  evening  through  and  prepared  the  plan 
of  Kenyon  College,  with  remarks,  to  be  printed  to- 
gether, the  whole  forming  but  sixteen  pages.  To  these 
"remarks"  were  added  several  letters  from  friends  in 
England,  showing  the  spirit  which  prevailed   in  that 


2IO  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

country,  with  evidence  of  their  great  generosity  to 
Bishop  Chase.  This  Httle  Plea  for  the  West,  though  it 
had  no  intrinsic  value  but  its  truth,  opened  the  eyes  of 
many  who  were  prejudiced  against  a  Western  seminary 
and  avowedly  hostile  to  the  Bishop's  going  to  England. 
It  was  like  Noah's  dove  sent  forth  from  the  little  frail 
tempest-tossed  Church  of  the  Apostles  in  a  vast  ocean 
of  the  West — the  Mississippi  valley — not  the  warlike 
notes  of  revenge  for  past  injuries,  but  bearing  in  its 
beak  the  olive  branch  of  peace  and  love. 

One  of  the  results  of  Bishop  Chase's  visit  to  Eng- 
land was  the  enthusiasm  he  aroused  in  missions,  not 
only  in  the  way  of  gifts  of  money,  but  also  in  the  offer 
of  missionary  service  by  young  English  gentlemen. 
One  of  the  earliest  volunteers  was  Henry  Caswall,  a  lad 
of  nineteen  and  a  nephew  of  the  Bishop  of  Salisbury, 
who  had  heard  the  Bishop  of  Ohio  and  his  plans  dis- 
cussed by  English  Churchmen,  and  indirectly  had  come 
under  the  influence  of  the  Bishop's  marvellous  per- 
sonality. He  came  to  Ohio  in  1828,  was  graduated 
from  Kenyon  College,  and  many  years  after  returned 
to  his  native  land  and  became  Vicar  of  Figheldean  in 
Wiltshire.  In  185 1  he  wrote  a  most  readable  book  on 
the  American  Church,  in  which  he  gives  a  graphic 
picture  of  his  arrival  at  Kenyon  and  meeting  Bishop 
Chase. 

He  begins  his  story  by  a  brief  account  of  the  im- 
pression the  Bishop  had  made  in  England:  "In  the 
year  1823,  a  personage  of  no  ordinary  character  made 
his  first  appearance  on  the  shores  of  England.  As  the 
Bishop  of  a  diocese  of  the  Holy  Catholic  Church  he 
was  of  course  received  with  respect,  but  circumstances 
rendered  him  an  object  of  peculiar  interest  and  atten- 


Founding  a  College  211 

tion.  He  came  from  the  distant  region  of  Ohio,  a 
country  then  scarcely  known  in  Britain  even  by  name, 
on  an  errand  closely  connected  with  the  propagation 
of  the  Gospel.  He  spoke  of  the  vast  increase  of  the 
population  in  western  America  and  of  the  destitution 
which  prevailed  in  regard  to  religious  instruction.  He 
was  received  not  merely  with  respect,  but  with  cordial 
sympathy." 

Of  his  long  journey  across  the  Atlantic,  Dr.  Caswall 
writes  most  entertainingly,  and  of  his  fellow-passengers 
on  shipboard,  and  of  the  still  longer  journey  from 
New  York  to  Gambler  by  river,  canal,  and  stage,  which 
was  full  of  adventure  and  novelty  for  this  young  Eng- 
lish lad.  "The  road  from  Mt.  Vernon  to  Gambler  was 
then  little  more  than  a  track  formed  by  felling  the 
trees.  ...  At  length  I  reached  the  hill  on  which 
Gambler  is  situated.  ...  I  requested  to  be  driven 
to  the  Bishop's  residence,  and  to  my  consternation  I 
was  deposited  at  the  door  of  a  small  and  rough  log 
cabin,  which  could  boast  of  but  one  little  window,  com- 
posed of  four  squares  of  the  most  common  glass.  'Is 
this  the  Bishop's  palace?'  I  involuntarily  exclaimed. 
'Can  this,'  I  thought,  'be  the  residence  of  the  apostolic 
man  whose  praise  is  in  all  the  churches,  and  who  is 
venerated  by  so  many  excellent  persons  in  my  native 
country  ? '     It  was  even  so. 

"On  knocking  for  admittance  the  door  was  opened 
by  the  Bishop's  wife,  who  told  me  that  the  Bishop  had 
gone  to  his  mill  for  some  flour  and  would  soon  return. 
I  had  waited  but  a  few  minutes  when  I  heard  a  power- 
ful voice  outside,  and  immediately  after  the  Bishop 
entered  with  one  of  his  head  workmen.  The  good  pre- 
late, then  fifty-three  years  of  age,  was  of  more  than 


212  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

ordinary  size,  and  his  black  cassock  bore  evident  tokens 
of  his  recent  visit  to  the  mill.  He  was  proceeding  with 
his  conversation  with  the  foreman,  when,  on  hearing 
me  mentioned,  he  turned  to  me  and  courteously  made 
inquiries  respecting  my  journey  and  several  of  his 
friends  in  England.  He  then  invited  me  to  partake  of 
his  frugal  meal,  after  which  he  desired  me  to  accom- 
pany him  to  the  college.  On  arriving  at  the  unfinished 
edifice,  I  was  amazed  at  the  solidity  of  the  structure. 
The  walls  were  four  feet  thick  at  the  foundation,  but 
on  the  second  story,  upon  which  the  builders  were  now 
engaged,  the  thickness  was  reduced  to  three  feet.  I 
ascended  with  my  venerable  guide  to  the  highest  point 
completed,  from  whence  the  eye  wandered  in  every 
direction  over  an  ocean  of  apparently  unbroken  forest. 
While  standing  here,  the  Bishop  explained  several  of 
his  plans  and  mentioned  some  of  his  numerous  dis- 
couragements. At  this  moment  he  was  almost  desti- 
tute of  funds,  but  he  trusted  that  God  would  continue 
as  heretofore  to  supply  him,  like  Elijah  in  the  wilder- 
ness. From  the  college  we  descended  to  a  piece  of 
ground  but  partially  cleared  of  trees.  'This,'  said  the 
Bishop,  'is  Sutton  Square,  so  named  from  his  Grace, 
the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury.'  A  little  further  on 
he  informed  me  that  I  was  in  Bexley  Square,  and  still 
further  to  the  right  was  a  thick  portion  of  forest  which 
he  declared  was  Burgess  Street,  called  after  the  name 
of  the  venerable  Bishop  of  Salisbury.  In  another  part 
of  the  surrounding  woods  he  showed  me  the  unoccu- 
pied site  of  a  church  to  be  denominated  Rosse  Chapel, 
from  the  Countess  Dowager  of  Rosse.  A  large  cu- 
cumber tree  occupied  the  place  of  the  future  altar,  a 
spreading  sumac  stood  in  the  place  marked  for  the 


Founding  a  College  213 

font,  and  a  stately  sycamore  supplied  the  absence  of 
the  steeple.  Near  the  site  selected  for  the  church  the 
Bishop  pointed  out  the  grave  of  an  old  man,  the  first 
person  who  had  died  at  Gambier.  He  had  caused  a 
railing  to  be  erected  and  with  his  own  hands  had  trained 
a  wild  grapevine  to  overshadow  it.  Near  this  grave 
he  showed  me  a  spot  in  which  he  said  he  hoped  to  lay 
his  own  weary  body.  He  only  prayed  to  be  allowed 
sufficient  time  to  see  his  town  erected,  and  his  college 
flourishing  and  complete." 

Dr.  Caswall  says  further  of  this  first  walk  with  the 
Bishop : 

"From  the  burial  ground  we  proceeded  to  the 
mill,  passing  through  noble  woods  of  oak,  beech, 
hickory,  walnut  and  chestnut  trees,  constituting  a 
portion  of  the  college  dominion.  Of  the  eight  thou- 
sand acres  in  his  hands,  the  Bishop  had  cleared  the  land 
from  eight  hundred,  which  now  produced  wheat  and 
Indian  corn.  On  arriving  at  the  mill,  I  found  it  was 
designed  for  the  double  purpose  of  grinding  meal  and 
of  sawing  timber  into  planks.  The  college  lands  were 
thus  made  to  supply  food  for  the  inhabitants  of  Gam- 
bier and  material  for  the  construction  of  such  buildings 
as  might  be  required.  On  my  return  with  the  Bishop, 
he  assigned  me  a  portion  of  an  apartment  in  one  of  the 
plank  edifices  already  mentioned  and  took  his  leave.  I 
retired  to  rest  full  of  admiration  for  his  character,  and 
disposed  by  his  example  of  self-denial  and  his  glowing 
anticipation  of  the  future  to  think  lightly  of  present  dis- 
comforts and  to  look  forward  to  better  things  to  come." 

In  speaking  of  school  life  in  these  early  days  of  Ken- 
yon,  Dr.  Caswall  says  the  Bishop's  long  days  of  work 
began  at  three  in  the  morning  with  writing  letters, 


214  T^^  ^^^^  ^^  Philander  Chase 

followed  by  interviews  with  masons,  carpenters,  and 
ploughmen.  In  addition  to  the  enterprises  at  Gambier, 
there  were  frequent  visitations  through  the  diocese, 
and  an  occasional  long  journey  east  for  funds  to  go  on 
with  the  work.  He  thus  describes  the  Bishop,  starting 
on  one  of  these  long  journeys:  "Before  his  departure, 
the  students  marched  in  procession  to  his  residence  to 
shake  hands  with  him  and  to  say  farewell.  After  they 
had  arranged  themselves  in  a  semi-circle,  the  Bishop 
addressed  them,  and  commended  them  to  the  protec- 
tion of  the  Almighty.  Then,  mounting  old  Cincin- 
natus,  he  set  off  at  a  gallop  and,  dashing  into  the 
woods,  was  out  of  sight  in  a  moment." 

In  1830,  Dr.  Caswall  writes,  there  were  one  hundred 
and  seventy  students  at  Gambier.  ' '  There  were  among 
them  the  sons  of  slave-owners  in  the  Southern  States 
brought  up  in  luxury  at  home,  and  hardly  reconciled 
to  the  rude  log  buildings  and  simple  fare  of  Gambier. 
There  were  also  young  men  from  New  England  of  in- 
dustrious and  thrifty  habits,  who  maintained  them- 
selves at  college  by  teaching  schools  during  half  the 
year  in  the  neighboring  country.  There  were  a  few 
Irish  and  Welsh,  one  Greek,  and  a  native  of  Hindostan. 
Besides  these,  there  were  at  one  time  three  or  four 
American  Indians." 

On  Sundays  "the  Bishop  generally  officiated  with 
the  assistance  of  the  professors  in  the  building  used  as 
a  temporary  chapel.  He  often  collected  the  youngest 
students  around  him  and  conveyed  religious  and  moral 
instruction  under  the  form  of  graphic  narratives  and 
curious  parables." 

What  Dr.  Caswall  says  of  the  early  diocesan  conven- 
tions  is    interesting   in    view   of   subsequent    events: 


Founding  a  College  215 

"Once  a  year  the  General  Convention  of  the  diocese 
assembled  at  Gambier,  on  which  occasions  the  thirty 
or  forty  congregations  then  existing  in  the  diocese  were 
represented  by  their  lay  delegates;  and  most  of  the 
clergy,  then  twenty  in  number,  attended  in  person. 
All  were  guests  of  the  Bishop  and  dined  at  the  com- 
mon table  with  the  students,  the  principal  luxury  at 
the  meals  being  the  wild  honey  in  the  comb,  taken 
from  the  forest  trees.  The  Holy  Communion  was 
always  celebrated,  and  the  Bishop  opened  the  Conven- 
tion by  an  address  in  which  he  detailed  his  measures 
for  the  advancement  of  the  Church  and  made  sugges- 
tions for  future  improvement.  Yet  it  was  easy  to  see 
that,  even  in  that  little  band,  opposite  principles  were 
at  work  which  could  hardly  fail  to  produce  a  disastrous 
result.  The  Bishop,  for  example,  like  the  other 
American  prelates,  rested  his  prerogative  on  apostolic 
succession  and  firmly  believed  in  the  efficacy  of  the 
Sacraments  as  means  by  which  grace  is  conveyed. 
The  professors,  generally,  were  good  men,  but  inclined 
to  low  views  of  the  Church,  and  were  disposed  to  show 
great  deference  to  the  spirit  of  the  age.  Although 
nominated  in  the  first  instance  by  the  Bishop,  they 
were  removable  only  by  a  Board  of  Trustees,  elected 
by  the  Diocesan  Convention.  Their  desire  was  to 
render  the  college  popular  among  all  classes  of  the 
community,  and  this  object  could  only  be  effected  by 
sinking  in  some  measure  its  distinctive  features  as  a 
Church  institution.  In  these  and  similar  plans  a  large 
portion  of  the  clergy  and  laity  in  the  Diocesan  Con- 
vention was  generally  ready  to  support  them,  believing 
that  Episcopacy  in  Ohio  was  practicable  only  in  the 
mildest  and  most  'liberal '  form. 


2i6  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

"On  the  other  hand,  the  Bishop  insisted  that  the 
theological  and  ecclesiastical  character  of  the  college 
ought  to  be  maintained  as  superior  to  every  other  con- 
sideration. He  was  well  aware  that  the  religious  and 
benevolent  persons  in  England  and  in  America  who 
had  contributed  their  money  toward  the  establishment 
of  the  institution  had  done  so,  not  for  the  diffusion  of 
mere  secular  education  or  even  of  general  Christianity, 
but  with  the  object  of  raising  up  clergymen  to  minister 
to  the  flock  of  Christ  in  the  remote  West." 


PRAYER  CROSS  AT  KENYON  COLLEGE 

Dedicated  June  22,  1902,  in  Commemoration  of  the  First  Service  held  on  Gambier 
Hill  by  Bishop  Chase,  in  1826.       Pnfft^  216. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

AN    EFFORT   AND   A   FAILURE 

THE  second  volume  of  the  Reminiscences  begins  with 
the  story  of  the  second  effort  to  obtain  a  grant  of 
land  from  Congress.  Again  this  unwearied  man  jour- 
neys over  the  Alleghanies  in  midwinter,  leaving  no 
stone  unturned  to  bring  about  the  great  object  so  dear 
to  his  heart.  He  found  not  only  a  friend  in  his  rela- 
tive Judge  Cranch,  in  whose  house  he  remained  during 
his  stay  in  Washington,  but  met  again  his  beloved 
brother  Dudley,  then  a  member  of  the  Senate.  In 
writing  to  Mrs.  Chase  the  Bishop  says:  "Though  I 
fail  in  my  immediate  object,  my  brother  Dudley  Chase, 
whom  I  pray  God  ever  to  bless,  says  that  the  effort  is 
worth  the  trial  in  making  known  the  object  of  my 
mission." 

The  struggle  in  this  connection  was  very  hard, — 
days  and  weeks  spent  in  anxious  hope,  almost  realized, 
then  deferred ;  first,  taxes  were  remitted,  then  the  com- 
mittee to  whom  was  referred  the  petition  for  land  for 
Kenyon  College  reported  a  bill  in  favor  of  a  grant  of 
two  townships  of  land,  of  which  the  Bishop  says:  "I 
went  right  home  and  fell  on  my  knees  to  offer  my 
gratitude  for  so  great  an  appearance  of  final  success." 

Under  date  of  March  13th,  still  in  Washington,  he 
writes:  "Benton  from  Missouri  is  alive  to  the  import- 

217 


2i8  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

ance  of  our  College.  The  Senate  was  certainly  in  my 
favor.  Am  I  not  a  happy  man  to  be  placed  always 
between  two  fires  and  yet  so  shielded  by  the  protect- 
ing care  of  Providence  as  to  be  hurt  by  the  shot  of 
neither? " 

This  time  he  made  a  little  trip  to  Fredericksburg, 
going  late  at  night  to  the  rectory,  the  home  of  Mr. 
McGuire,  whose  lovely  wife  was  niece  of  General 
Washington.  He  further  says : "  I  preached  on  Wednes- 
day. Here  I  met  Mr.  Washington,  son  of  Lawrence 
Washington,  to  whom  the  General  left  his  gold-headed 
cane." 

He  went  that  night  to  Colonel  Stewart's,  and  the 
next  morning,  with  others,  breakfasted  with  Mr. 
Washington.  He  writes:  "His  place  is  called  Water- 
loo and  is  the  most  beautiful  situation  I  have  seen  in 
Virginia.  Mr.  Washington's  daughter  Virginia,  bred 
up  in  as  fine  a  garden  as  our  country  produces,  is  the 
sweetest  flower  in  it.  This  young  lady  played  and 
sang  for  us  a  number  of  songs,  one  of  which  in  the 
tune  of  Scots  zvha  hae  wt  Wallace  bled,  was  written 
on  the  plan  of  the  Christian  warfare.  The  whole  per- 
formance was  exceedingly  interesting." 

There  is  something  very  sweet  and  touching  in  the 
fact  that  this  careworn  man  should  be  pleased  with 
this  little  episode  in  the  midst  of  his  strenuous  toil 
against  a  world  of  evils,  fighting  with  the  demons  of 
ignorance,  selfishness,  greed,  infidelity,  and  vice,  just 
as  they  exist  now,  except  that  now  they  are  in  more 
serried  ranks,  stronger  than  ever. 

In  Henry  Clay,  the  Bishop  found,  as  ever  before,  a 
stanch  and  faithful  friend.  In  this  venture  he  seems 
to  have  embarked  many  hopes.     He  placed  so  much 


An  Effort  and  a  Failure  219 

stress  upon  its  outcome,  that  his  suspense  became  an 
agony.  "  If , "  he  says,  ' '  my  hopes  about  this  donation 
from  Congress  prove  fallacious,  may  God  give  me 
submission."  When  the  26th  of  March  arrived  and 
the  bill  passed  the  Senate,  he  was  transported  with 
joy ;  even  those  who  had  opposed  it  were  glad  it  had 
passed.  The  Bishop  went  to  the  Senate  and  there  re- 
ceived the  congratulations  of  many  distinguished  mem- 
bers of  all  parties.  At  that  time  he  felt  "the  wine  of 
success,"  but  alas!  as  is  almost  sure  to  follow,  he  was 
to  drink  the  bitter  cup  of  disappointment  to  its  dregs. 
Easter  Monday,  the  word  came  that  the  Committee  in 
the  House  reported  against  the  bill  for  Kenyon.  He 
simply  says  in  his  letter  to  his  wife:  "I  don't  remem- 
ber to  have  ever  received  so  great  a  shock.  May  God 
support  me  for  Christ's  sake."  And  he  adds  in  a  little 
postscript:  "Don't  be  unhappy,  God  will  support  us." 

Still  another  effort  was  made,  all  in  vain ;  yet  in  the 
acute  disappointment  he  was  comforted  with  the  know- 
ledge that  he  carried  with  him  the  best  wishes  of  many 
warm  friends.  His  English  friends  never  failed  in  their 
devotion ;  indeed  there  were  few  men  of  the  nineteenth 
century  who  have  interested  other  men  in  a  greater 
degree,  and  who  have  inspired  so  pure  and  lasting  a 
friendship  as  this  very  human,  earnest,  virile  man ;  so 
humble,  yet  so  commanding;  so  simple,  yet  so  domi- 
nant; so  imperious,  yet  so  gentle. 

After  the  great  disappointment  the  Bishop  went  to 
Philadelphia ;  and  having,  before  leaving  Washington, 
obtained  liberty  to  run  a  daily  mail  between  Kenyon 
and  Mt.  Vernon,  he  applied  for  assistance  to  that 
worthy  and  patriotic  gentleman,  Mr.  Reesides,  to  whom 
the  nation  is  indebted  for  so  many  of  her  stage-coach 


2  20  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

facilities  and  comforts.  In  this  application  he  was 
successful,  and  Mr.  Reesides  presented  to  the  college 
a  coach  and  harness  in  good  repair. 

The  Bishop  writes  of  his  return:  "In  journeying 
home,  I  found  my  progress  was  not  sufficiently  speedy 
to  enable  me  to  fulfil  some  appointments  which  I  had 
made  to  perform  official  duty.  I  left  my  private  coach 
and  took  my  seat  in  the  public  coach.  This  was  in 
the  evening  of  a  very  dark  night — the  carriage  was  full 
of  passengers.  A  dreadful  storm  arose — some  accident 
befell  us,  so  that  we  were  obliged  to  descend  from  the 
coach  in  the  rain.  The  night  came  on  darker — the 
accident  was  repaired.  We  again  ascended  the  coach, 
the  storm  and  darkness  increased — the  coachman  was 
bewildered  and  directed  his  eyes  to  a  light  at  right 
angles  with  the  road,  and  supposed  it  to  be  the  object 
to  which  he  should  steer  his  course.  Being  on  a  preci- 
pice several  feet  high,  the  horses  went  down  and  in  an 
instant  the  coach  was  crushed  to  atoms." 

When  the  stage-coach  fell  down  the  walled  embank- 
ment, the  Bishop  was  the  first  to  strike  the  ground; 
the  rest  of  the  passengers  falling  on  him,  and  the  rain 
pouring  down,  they  escaped  to  the  neighboring  houses. 
His  ribs  being  fractured  and  pressing  on  his  lungs,  he 
was  unable  to  call  for  help  and  remained  for  some  min- 
utes unnoticed,  crushed  under  the  ruins  of  the  coach. 
The  first  human  voice  he  heard  was  that  of  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Johns,  then  rector  of  the  church  in  Cumber- 
land. He,  on  seeing,  or  rather  hearing,  the  stage-coach 
horses  pass  rapidly  back  to  the  city  with  only  the  fore- 
wheels,  had  run  out  of  the  house  and,  guided  only  by 
the  flashes  of  lightning,  sought  the  body  of  the  coach. 
"Where,  oh,  where  is  Bishop  Chase?"  said  he  as  he 


An  Effort  and  a  Failure  221 

came  to  the  prostrate  vehicle.  No  voice  was  heard  to 
answer.  It  was  well  that  he  approached  the  ruins  and 
lifted  the  torn  and  muddied  curtain ;  had  not  this  been 
done,  the  sufferer  would  soon  have  expired. 

A  clergymen  who  was  a  student  at  Kenyon  at  that 
time  writes  of  this  accident:  "The  Bishop  was  laid  up 
for  several  weeks,  and  finally,  about  the  end  of  April, 
arrived  at  Gambler  on  a  feather  bed,  suspended  by 
four  corners  within  a  coach.  He  was  soon,  however, 
in  his  usual  health ;  and  it  was  now  currently  reported 
that,  at  different  times,  all  the  Bishop's  bones  had  been 
broken,  with  the  single  exception  of  his  skull!  " 

As  a  climax  the  clergyman  adds:  "And  let  it  be 
recollected  that  the  pecuniary  emolument  annexed  to 
the  episcopate  of  Ohio  was  nothing." 

On  the  loth  of  October,  1828,  the  Convention  as- 
sembled on  Gambler  Hill.  A  synopsis  of  what  had 
been  attempted  and  accomplished  was  given. 

The  announcement  was  read  of  the  completion  of 
the  Milnor  professorship,  also  the  reception  of  a  valu- 
able and  beautiful  telescope  for  Kenyon,  and  many 
valuable  books  from  England. 

In  a  letter  to  Lord  Gambler  the  Bishop  gives  a  de- 
scription of  Kenyon:  "The  building  of  the  college — 
one  hundred  and  ten  feet  of  it — is  now  up,  covered 
and  finishing.  The  walls  are  massive;  they  are  four 
feet  thick  at  bottom,  receding  six  inches  at  every  story. 
.  .  .  The  roof,  on  account  of  the  elevated  site  of 
the  college  and  its  consequent  exposure  to  the  violent 
winds  of  our  country,  has  more  timber  in  it,  and  is  put 
together  with  more  firmness  than  most  buildings  of 
the  kind  in  America.     The  draft  was  made  for  me  by 


222  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

our  national  architect,  Mr.  Bulfinch  of  Washington. 
.  .  .  The  number  of  pupils  is  now  more  than 
seventy.  When  we  move  into  the  college,  we  shall 
have  room  for  many  more." 

In  the  year  1829,  after  the  removal  of  the  school 
from  Worthington  to  Gambier,  it  had  become  greatly 
augmented  in  numbers;  the  family  of  teachers  and 
scholars  was  now  more  than  a  hundred.  In  November 
the  management  of  this  establishment  was  placed  in 
Mrs.  Chase's  hands,  and  the  man  of  affairs  started  off 
for  his  visitation  in  the  southern  part  of  the  diocese. 
His  journey  was  made  over  a  road  partly  frozen,  so 
that  it  would  usually  hold  up  a  horse,  but  occasionally 
would  take  in  both  horse  and  coach.  Being  able  to 
travel  but  two  miles  an  hour,  the  Bishop  became  be- 
numbed with  cold  ;  when  daylight  appeared  he  jumped 
out  and  tried  to  walk  until  he  came  to  the  backwoods, 
where  the  mud  was  so  deep  that  no  footman  could  get 
on.  At  "sunbreak,"  he  found  "a  boy  with  a  mare 
without  shoes,"  waiting  for  him.  He  went  on,  suffer- 
ing terribly  with  cold,  and  reaching  Delaware  after 
dark.  He  preached  at  Delaware  the  same  evening,  on 
the  subject  of  "Prayer," 

All  along  the  dreadful  journey  we  read  of  his  plans 
in  letters  to  Mrs.  Chase,  of  appointments  kept  in  bitter 
weather,  services  held,  confirming,  baptizing,  and  ad- 
ministering the  Holy  Communion,  and  again  about 
buying  more  cows  and  of  the  blacksmith's  wages. 

On  one  occasion  he  repacks  his  luggage  into  a  port- 
manteau and  valise,  and  sets  ofT  on  horseback  to  an 
appointment  at  Circleville.  The  horse  was  at  the 
door  and  himself  mounted,  when  the  steed  proved 
both  vicious  and  dangerous.     No  wonder,  with  such  a 


An  Effort  and  a  Failure  223 

heavy  man  and  such  an  accumulation  of  luggage! 
The  horse  being  found  impossible,  he  concluded  to 
give  up  his  journey  for  that  day,  "as  the  coach  could 
not  run,  and  most  of  the  driver's  horses  were  so  dis- 
abled that  they  could  not  rise  from  the  ground." 
Probably  the  Bishop  was  forced  to  rest  for  this  day  at 
least. 

An  appreciative  sketch  of  Bishop  Chase's  work  in 
Ohio  appeared  in  The  Chiirdiman,  November,  1896,  by 
the  Rev.  G.  Munroe  Royce,  now  resident  rector  of  the 
American  Church  in  Munich,  Germany,  from  which 
we  quote  the  following: 

"The  Bishop  returned  from  England  in  1824,  and 
the  college  on  Gambler  Hill  was  opened  in  1828.  This 
interval  of  four  years  marks  the  period  of  Bishop 
Chase's  greatest  activities;  he  was  everywhere  and  did 
everything.  The  institution  was  incorporated  as  Ken- 
yon  College  in  1824,  and  began  its  work  in  1825,  on  the 
Bishop's  farm  near  Worthington.  The  college  opened 
with  but  one  pupil,  but  before  the  end  of  the  year  it 
had  enrolled  twenty-five,  including  five  Indian  boys. 
The  first  catalogue  of  Kenyon  College  was  written  by 
its  first  pupil  in  the  form  of  a  diary,  and  is  here  given 
without  any  change,  except  the  omission  of  the  names 
of  the  students : 

"  'Jan.  I,  1826.  The  year  1826  comes  in  on  Sunday. 
It  finds  me  studying  at  Kenyon  College,  which  is  at 
present  on  the  Bishop's  farm  near  Worthington.  Presi- 
dent, the  Rt.  Rev.  P.  Chase ;  Professor  of  Languages, 
the  Rev.  William  Sparrow ;  tutor  in  Grammar  School, 
Mr.  Gideon  McMillan.  The  students  at  this  time,  in- 
cluding five  Indian  boys,  are  twenty-five  in  number. 

"  'Boarding  at  $1.25  per  week.    Tuition  in  the  Gram- 


224  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 


mar  School,  $10.00  per  year;  College,  $20.00  per 
year ! ' * 

"Such  were  the  small  beginnings  of  the  pioneer  col- 
lege of  the  West. 

"Philander  Chase,  the  founder  of  Kenyon  College, 
was  a  man  of  heroic  mold  in  every  way.  His  body 
was  of  gigantic  proportions,  with  a  strength  and 
endurance  which,  in  these  softer  days,  seem  almost 
fabulous,  and  his  mind  was  of  the  same  commanding 
proportions  as  his  body.  Add  to  these  an  indomitable 
will,  impatient  of  restraint  or  opposition,  and  one  can 
see  with  the  mind's  eye  something  of  the  striking  and 
altogether  extraordinary  personality  of  the  founder  of 
the  first  Western  college.  He  was  a  veritable  giant, 
raised  up,  as  it  would  seem,  for  the  special  work  that 
was  given  him  to  do. 

"He  was  in  fact  a  man  of  national  reputation,  both  as 
a  scholar  and  a  teacher,  Avith  a  personality  that  com- 
manded the  instant  attention  and  respect  of  every  one, 
learned  and  unlearned ;  and  had  he  not  attained  the 
episcopal  office,  he  would  now  be  renowned  as  one  of 
this  country's  greatest  educators." 

But  this  is  anticipating.  The  extent  of  the  college 
domain  was  eight  thousand  acres,  and  included  a  great 
deal  of  rich  land,  some  of  which  was  already  in  a  state 
of  cultivation.  On  the  acquisition  of  this  property  the 
Bishop  took  immediate  personal  charge,  and,  as  has 
already  been  said,  was  everywhere  and  did  everything. 
He  was  his  own  forester,  landscape-gardener,  architect 
and  builder.  He  constructed  his  own  saw-mill,  flour- 
mill,  and  printing-press.  He  cut  his  own  timber, 
directed  the  farming,  dug  a  race-way,  and  built  a  dam 

'  This  is  taken  from  the  diary  of  the  late  Rev.  Erastus  Burr,  D.D. 


An  Effort  and  a  Failure  225 

to  furnish  water-power  for  his  mills.  This  work  of 
establishing  a  colony  de  novo  required  an  army  of  arti- 
sans and  laborers,  and  Gambler  Hill  was  for  four  years 
a  beehive  of  industry,  until  "Old  Kenyon,"  as  the  first 
college  building  is  now  called,  opened  its  doors  for  the 
reception  of  students.  This  was  in  1828.  The  masters 
and  pupils  on  the  Worthington  farm  were  immediately 
transferred,  and  the  first  college  year  on  Gambler  Hill 
opened  with  about  sixty-five  students. 

Too  much  cannot  be  said  in  praise  of  the  Bishop's 
judgment  and  taste,  as  now  seen  in  the  site  and  general 
plans  of  Kenyon  College,  speaking  in  reference  to 
natural  beauty  only.  The  wisdom  of  establishing  the 
college  in  what  was  then  a  wilderness  need  not  be  here 
discussed.  But  a  more  beautiful  spot  for  a  college 
than  Gambler  Hill  can  hardly  be  imagined ;  and  the 
college  park  is  as  fine  an  example  of  landscape-garden- 
ing as  can  be  seen  in  this  country. 

The  Bishop's  great  energy  and  success  in  collecting 
the  funds,  clearing  the  grounds,  and  erecting  the  first 
college  building  won  the  respect  and  admiration  of 
everybody ;  for  never  was  a  greater  undertaking  so 
swiftly  accomplished  by  the  sole  power  of  one  man. 
There  is  scarcely  a  parallel  to  this  in  all  the  history  of 
American  educational  institutions. 

"Old  Kenyon"  was  the  first  building  erected  by 
Bishop  Chase.  It  stands  at  one  end  of  the  long 
"path,"  covered  with  ivy  and  gray  with  age.  It  has 
always  been  the  college  dormitory,  and  around  it 
gather  the  mellow  traditions  and  sweet  memories  of 
college  life.  Stanton  and  Hayes,  Matthews  and  the 
Davises,  Wilmer,  Currie,  Hurd,  McCook,  Allen,  and 
Benson  lived  their  undergraduate  days  within  these 


2  26  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

walls.  These  and  many  other  names,  high  on  the  roll 
of  fame  in  Church  and  State,  have  made  "Old  Ken- 
yon  "  the  most  sacred  spot  on  Gambler  Hill. 

This  building  at  first  took  everything  pertaining  to 
the  college  under  its  roof;  the  Bishop  and  his  family, 
the  professors  and  the  students,  ate  and  slept,  studied 
and  taught  within  "Old  Kenyon's "  massive  walls. 
This  building  has  lately  been  thoroughly  overhauled 
and  repaired  from  top  to  bottom,  and  is  now  in  perfect 
sanitary  condition.  In  cleaning  out  the  basement,  the 
large,  old-fashioned  fireplaces — where  in  the  early  days 
the  food  for  the  college  was  prepared — were  discovered, 
and  may  now  be  seen  for  the  first  time  by  the  present 
generation. 

At  the  other  end  of  the  "path,"  a  mile  or  so  re- 
moved, stands  Bexley  Hall,  facing  "Old  Kenyon," 
and  on  either  side  of  this  path,  within  the  park  enclos- 
ure, are  the  other  college  buildings  and  the  homes  of  the 
college  professors.  Ascension  Hall  was  the  gift  of  the 
Church  of  the  Ascension,  New  York,  during  the  rector- 
ship of  Dr.  Bedell,  afterward  so  long  and  honorably 
identified  with  Kenyon  College  as  the  Bishop  of  Ohio. 
Few  dioceses  have  had  a  succession  of  three  such  men 
as  Chase,  Mcllvaine,  and  Bedell.  The  architectural 
proportions  of  Ascension  Hall  are  almost  perfect,  and 
elicit  the  warm  admiration  of  all  visitors  who  know 
what  to  admire.  The  chapel,  Rosse  Hall,  and  Hub- 
bard Hall — the  library  building — are  all  beautiful  ex- 
amples of  varying  but  harmonious  architecture;  and 
with  Kenyon,  Ascension,  and  Bexley  Halls — all  sepa- 
rated by  pleasing  intervals  —  constitute  in  material 
(stone),  style,  and  design  the  most  perfect  group  of 
academic  structures  to  be  seen  in  America.     The  late 


An  Effort  and  a  Failure  227 

Bishop  Coxe — who  was  of  the  first  authority  on  such 
matters — said  that  Kenyon  might  well  be  compared 
with  Cambridge  and  Oxford.  No  one  could  ever  mis- 
take the  buildings  at  Gambler  for  any  other  than  aca- 
demic structures.  Gambler  Hill,  with  the  gentle 
Kokosing  flowing  at  its  feet,  commands  a  wide  view  of 
pastoral  scenes  which  charm  the  eye  at  all  seasons  of 
the  year,  but  especially  at  commencement  time,  when 
hill  and  dale,  field  and  forest,  are  covered  with  the 
rich  verdure  of  early  summer.  It  is  believed  that 
Kenyon  was  the  very  first  American  college  to  possess 
its  own  printing-press.' 

Chief-Justice  Salmon  P.Chase,  nephew  of  the  Bishop, 
who  was  for  about  three  years  a  pupil  on  the  Chase 
farm  and  in  the  Chase  school,  leaves  no  doubt  of  the 
realistic  character  of  the  farm  life : 

"So  went  the  days  in  school.  Out  of  school  I  did 
chores,  took  grain  to  the  mill  and  brought  back  meal 
and  flour;  milked  the  cows,  drove  them  to  and  from 
pasture,  took  wool  to  the  carding  factory  over  the 
Scioto, — an  important  journey  to  me, — built  fires  and 
brought  in  wood  in  the  winter  time ;  helped  gather 
sugar  water  and  make  sugar  when  winter  first  turned 
to  spring;  helped  plant  and  sow  in  the  later  spring. 
In  most  of  whatever  a  boy  could  do  on  a  farm  I  did  a 
little.  Sometimes  I  was  sent  to  Columbus,  nine  miles 
south,  on  horseback,  to  make  small  purchases.  I  re- 
member yet  the  firm  Goodale  &  Buttles,  which  the 
boys  travestied  as  'Good  ale  in  bottles,'  where  one 
morning  I  bought  some  sickles  and  scythes  and  other 

'  This  printing-press  was  given  to  Bishop  Chase  for  Kenyon  College 
through  the  efforts  of  Lady  Acland.  It  was  supplied  with  types  and  all 
else  necessary  for  immediate  use. 


228  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

matters,  having  risen  long  before  day,  mounted  old 
Sorrel,  and  ridden  to  Columbus,  determined  to  be  back 
before  breakfast,  which  I  accomplished." 

Eighteen  miles  on  horseback  before  breakfast !  This 
shows  that  the  nephew  was  made  of  the  same  stuff  as 
his  uncle — physically  as  well  as  mentally. 

The  extraordinary  executive  power  of  Bishop  Chase 
can  be  seen  even  in  this  very  rapid  survey ;  but  some 
detailed  description  of  the  peculiar  circumstances  under 
which  this  "mighty  man  "  labored  and  achieved  is 
necessary  to  give  a  true  picture  of  his  life  and  character. 

The  first  episcopal  residence  was  a  log  hut,  on  a 
farm,  in  the  midst  of  the  untamed  forest.  On  his 
arrival  in  Ohio  the  Bishop  had  taken  pupils  into  his 
family,  and  he  continued  to  do  so  after  he  was  made  a 
Bishop,  and  until  Kenyon  College  was  open  for  their 
reception.  This  period  of  combined  farming  and 
school-keeping  covered  at  least  ten  years,  and  consti- 
tutes a  wholly  unique  chapter  in  the  educational  his- 
tory of  this  country.  Besides  the  "episcopal  palace," 
there  were  four  other  log  cabins  erected  for  the  ac- 
commodation of  the  masters  and  pupils.  But  they  all 
sat  together  as  one  family,  around  one  common  board, 
with  the  Bishop  at  the  head  ;  or,  in  his  absence, ' '  Mother 
Chase,"  as  the  Bishop's  wife  was  affectionately  called 
by  masters  and  pupils.  The  Bishop  was  absent  too 
often  to  give  any  regular  or  systematic  instruction; 
but  when  he  was  at  home  he  seems  to  have  given  in- 
spiration enough  to  last  till  his  return.  When  at  home 
he  spent  a  great  deal  of  his  time  cultivating  his  farm 
with  his  own  hands,  and  his  pupils  were  frequently 
with  him  when  he  held  the  plough  and  drove  the  team 
afield.    This  was  no  fancy  farming,  nor  "Brook  Farm" 


An  Effort  and  a  Failure  229 

nonsense ;  for  the  Bishop  not  only  supplied  his  own 
large  family,  but  sold  his  farm  products  in  the  open 
market  at  Worthington  and  Columbus.  In  other 
words,  the  Bishop  was  a  practical  and  successful  farmer. 

Chief-Justice  Chase  was  the  nephew  of  the  founder 
of  Kenyon  College,  and  one  of  its  first  pupils.  Presi- 
dent Hayes  was  an  alumnus.  Chief-Justice  Waite  was 
a  trustee.  Justices  Davis  and  Matthews,  both  of  the 
U.  S.  Supreme  Court,  were  graduates.  Henry  Winter 
Davis,  "the  prince  of  parliamentary  orators,"  and  Ed- 
win M.  Stanton,  the  famous  Secretary  of  War,  were 
among  her  distinguished  sons.  Secretary  Stanton 
said :  "  If  I  am  anything,  I  owe  it  to  Kenyon  College. 
The  late  Hon.  Columbus  Delano,  ex-Secretary  of  the 
Interior,  was  for  many  years  a  trustee.  U.  S.  Senator 
Turpie,  of  Indiana,  and  Gen.  W.  G.  Le  Due,  ex-Secre- 
tary of  Agriculture,  are  Kenyon  men.  So  also  is 
Joseph  Packard,  Esq.,  of  Baltimore. 

The  Church  is  also  indebted  to  Kenyon  for  many 
of  her  most  distinguished  ministers.  The  late  Bishop 
Wilmer  was  a  son  of  Kenyon,  so  was  John  Cotton 
Smith.  Dr.  Heman  Dyer,  Prof.  A.  V.  G.  Allen,  D.D., 
Dr.  David  H.  Greer,  Dr.  Wm.  S.  Langford,  and  the 
beloved  Prof.  Edward  C.  Benson  are  among  the  clergy 
who  have  been  educated  for  the  Church  on  Gambler 
Hill.  The  names  of  five  living  bishops  are  to  be  found 
on  the  Kenyon  alumni  roll :  they  are  Gray,  White, 
Burton,  Brooke,  and  Kendrick. 

In  speaking  of  the  library  at  Kenyon  Mr.  Royce 
thus  describes  it : 

"Polyglots  and  Latin  folios,  bound  in  vellum  and 
yellow  with  age,  Elzevirs,  and  first  editions  hundreds 
of  years   old,  make  the  dark  old   room   at  Bexley  a 


230  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

veritable  treasure-house.  These  old  curios,  many  of 
which  have  probably  no  duplicates  on  this  side  of  the 
Atlantic,  were  presented  to  Bishop  Chase  by  members 
of  the  Oxford  and  Cambridge  colleges,  and  not  a  few 
bear  the  inscription,  'To  the  Lord  Bishop  of  Ohio.'  " 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

AN   END   AND   A   BEGINNING 

THIS  history  would  not  be  complete  without  some 
word  on  what  proved  to  be  the  great  crisis  of 
Bishop  Chase's  life.  It  is  difficult  to  think  of  a  public 
service  in  which  there  were  greater  sacrifices,  and  the 
sacrifice  this  chapter  deals  with  is  unique  in  the  history 
of  our  Church. 

For  reasons  that  readers  will  readily  understand,  this 
chapter  is  given  into  the  hands  of  one  perfectly  un- 
biased, who  has  gone  over  the  history  with  great  care, 
and  who,  born  and  educated  in  another  land,  has 
weighed  the  facts  disinterestedly  yet  sympathetically. 
He  says : 

"A  controversy  sprang  up  out  of  the  darkness,  in- 
volving all  for  which  the  Bishop  had  lived  and  labored 
and  sacrificed.  The  history  of  this  controversy  is  pa- 
thetic beyond  words.  There  has  been  nothing  quite 
like  it  in  the  American  Church,  and,  please  God,  there 
will  not  be  again.  The  element  of  romance  runs  all 
through  the  Bishop's  handling  of  the  questions  at  issue. 
He  never  forsakes  his  own  high  ground,  and,  in  entire 
accord  with  his  whole  career,  his  greatest  concern  is 
that  the  work  given  him  to  do  shall  not  suffer.  Sacrifice 
had  threaded,  as  the  woof  the  warp,  the  Bishop's  whole 
life.     No  man   ever  faced  trial  with  a  finer  courage 

231 


232  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

or  met  disappointment  with  a  sublimer  confidence  in 
God.  When  the  national  legislature  denied  his  peti- 
tion for  a  grant  of  land  for  the  support  of  Kenyon, 
after  he  had  spent  part  of  one  winter  in  Washington, 
his  hopes  buoyed  up  by  the  support  of  the  Legislature 
of  Ohio  and  by  the  strong  advocacy  of  the  ablest  men 
in  Congress,  he  writes  of  this  bitter  disappointment: 
'God,  I  trust  has  heard  my  prayer,  composed  my  mind, 
strengthened  my  faith,  elevated  my  hopes,  directed  my 
thoughts.  Blessed  be  His  Name,  He  hath  done,  doth 
now,  and  always  will  do  all  things  well. ' 

"The  Bishop's  controversy  with  the  faculty  of  Ken- 
yon and  his  diocese  developed  with  amazing  rapidity, 
and  the  issue  of  it  was  drawn  on  sharply  and  suddenly 
by  his  own  supreme  sacrifice.  'He  had  nourished  and 
brought  up  children  and  they  rebelled  against  him.' 
He  had  accomplished  the  seemingly  impossible, — by 
his  own  gigantic  faith  and  energy  had  brought  Kenyon 
on  to  a  degree  of  prosperity  and  efficiency  that  made 
the  control  and  management  of  it  an  object  that  stimu- 
lated the  ambition  of  the  covetous  and  designing.  One 
reads  the  sad  story  with  wide-open  eyes,  and  wonders 
that  this  great  missionary  of  the  West  could  have  been 
so  treated  by  his  own  children  in  the  faith. 

"The  crux  of  the  controversy  was  the  Bishop's  su- 
premacy in  the  management  of  the  theological  semi- 
nary. His  great  aim  was  the  maintenance  of  a  seminary 
of  learning  where  men  might  be  trained  for  the  sacred 
ministry,  that  the  scattered  sheep  of  his  vast  diocese 
might  be  shepherded.  The  East  neither  could  nor 
would  supply  him  with  men.  He  was  thrown  upon 
the  necessity  of  training  his  own  men,  and  this  he  saw 
with  the  vision  of  a  statesman  and  prophet  when  he 


An  End  and  a  Beginning  233 

first  touched  the  soil  of  Ohio.  Kenyon  now,  with  its 
preparatory,  collegiate,  and  theological  departments, 
had  grown  into  an  institution  of  the  largest  promise  for 
the  Western  world.  The  Bishop  was  the  ruling  head 
necessarily,  as  well  as  cx-officio  president  of  the  facul- 
ties and  the  Board  of  Trustees.  The  movement  against 
the  Bishop  took  the  form  of  a  plan  to  depose  him  from 
his  actual  supremacy  and  to  make  him  a  mere  figure- 
head, depriving  him  of  a  vote  even  in  reference  to  all 
questions  coming  before  the  faculty  except  in  case  of  a 
tie.  This  movement  was  tied  up  with  an  organized 
plan  to  merge  the  theological  department  into  the  col- 
legiate, and  so  practically  balk  and  render  ineffective 
the  Bishop's  greater  motive  in  founding  Kenyon. 
The  attack  centered  on  the  Bishop's  supremacy.  As 
a  matter  of  fact  arbitrary  power  was  not  possible.  His 
own  control  was  controlled  by  the  powers  vested  in  the 
Board  of  Trustees.  But  he  was  dominant,  supreme  in 
his  moral  influence ;  and  it  could  not  be  otherwise,  for 
he  was  the  very  breath  of  life  to  Kenyon. 

"The  real  gist  of  the  controversy  is  thus  defined  in 
his  own  clear  words:  'The  great  principle  on  which  all 
donations  to  Ohio  were  asked  and  given,  was  that  there 
should  be  a  theological  seminary,  and  the  Bishop,  for 
the  time  being  should  be  the  head  of  it, — that  is,  have 
a  controlling  influence,  according  to  the  canons,  over 
the  whole.  This  was  the  foundation  laid  at  the  bot- 
tom, antecedent  to  all  legislation  on  the  subject.  It 
was  the  first  idea  that  struck  the  mind  of  every  donor. 
It  formed  the  basis  of  his  motives  of  giving,  and  the 
conditions  of  his  gift.  It  was  the  heart  and  soul  of  the 
contract  between  the  donor  and  the  donee ;  a  contract 
which  neither  the  Legislature,  nor  the  Diocese  of  Ohio, 


234  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

nor  any  other  human  power  could  righteously  annul. 
Yet  this  plain  and  fundamental  principle  was  set  aside 
by  the  Diocese  of  Ohio.  A  college  (it  was  alleged)  had 
been  annexed  to  the  seminary ;  into  this  college  the 
seminary  had  been  merged  and  lost,  so  as  to  dismiss 
the  principle  above  named.  The  institution,  they 
affirmed,  must  be  governed  by  a  president  having  no 
episcopal  character.'     {Reminiscences,  vol.  ii.,  p.  91.) 

"And  again,  he  says:  'Kenyon  College  is  like  other 
colleges  in  some  respects,  and  unlike  all  in  many  other 
respects.  One  fundamental  principle  in  which  it  differs 
from  all  others,  is  that  the  whole  institution  is  patri- 
archal. Like  Abraham  on  the  plains  of  Mamre,  it  hath 
pitched  its  tent  under  the  trees  of  Gambler  Hill;  it 
hath  its  flocks  and  its  herds,  and  its  different  families 
of  teachers,  scholars,  mechanics,  and  laborers;  all 
united  under  one  head,  pursuing  one  common  interest, 
and  receiving  their  maintenance  and  food  from  one 
common  source — the  funds  and  farms  of  this  college. 
This  patriarchal  establishment,  it  is  obvious,  must  have 
a  father,  and  that  father  must  be  clothed  with  authority 
to  seek  the  common  good.  .  .  .  Guard  his  power 
against  abuses ;  but,  for  the  common  interest,  preserve 
it  entire.  ...  So  long  as  the  trustees  (who  possess 
the  power  of  correcting  abuses)  are  elected  every 
three  years,  and  can  meet  whenever  they  please  to  in- 
vestigate all  subjects  of  complaint,  there  is  safety. 
.  .  .  If  here  be  not  safety,  I  know  not  where  it  is.* 
(Vol.  ii.,  p.  122,  Reminiscences.^ 

"The  Rev.  Henry  Caswall  in  his  America  and  the 
American  CJmrch,  himself  at  this  time  a  student  in 
Kenyon,  and  very  familiar  with  all  the  details  of  the 
controversy  and  the  spirit  in  which  it  was  carried  on, 


An  End  and  a  Beginning  235 

says :  'The  patriarchal  authority  of  the  Bishop  appeared 
to  the  professors  undefinable,  and  therefore  absolute 
in  its  very  nature.  And  as  Gambier  was  a  secluded 
place  in  the  midst  of  deep  woods,  the  Bishop  and  pro- 
fessors resembled  the  captain  and  officers  of  a  solitary 
ship  at  sea,  meeting  few  persons  but  one  another. 
Hence  little  irritations  were  aggravated,  while  the 
chances  of  collision  were  greatly  multiplied,  by  the 
manifold  relations  in  which  the  Bishop  stood  to  every 
individual  connected  with  the  institution.  He  was  not 
only  Bishop  of  the  Diocese,  and  Rector  of  the  parish ; 
but  President  of  the  Convention,  of  the  Board  of  Trus- 
tees, of  the  Professors,  and  of  the  little  societies  formed 
by  the  residents  at  Gambier.  He  had  the  appointment 
of  professors,  tutors,  headmen,  and  clerks. 
He  was  the  postmaster,  and  had  the  management  of 
the  mill,  the  farms,  the  printing  office,  the  tailors,  the 
shoemakers,  and  the  laborers.' 

"The  economic  headship  of  the  Bishop  was  inevita- 
ble. Kenyon  was  the  outgrowth  of  his  own  genius 
and  energy ;  but  the  opportunity  for  friction  and  con- 
troversy was  consequently  enormously  increased. 

"These  questions  the  Bishop  brought  before  the 
Convention  in  his  address,  with  the  frankness,  straight- 
forwardness, and  courage  with  which  he  always  faced 
both  difficulty  and  opposition.  His  enemies  had  done 
an  enormous  amount  of  work  in  the  dark,  and  when 
the  Convention  met  both  their  plan  of  attack  and  their 
workers  were  well  in  hand.  Just  before  the  conven- 
tion an  accident  happened  to  the  Bishop  while  going 
through  the  unfinished  Rosse  Chapel,  and  he  was  so 
disabled  that  he  was  compelled  to  give  his  Convention 
address  seated  and  withdrew  immediately  afterwards. 


236  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

It  was  a  strange  Providence,  for,  had  he  been  able  to 
preside  during  the  deliberations  of  the  Convention  his 
great  personality  would  undoubtedly  have  placed  an 
enormous  restraint  upon  his  enemies.  In  his  absence 
they  wrought  their  own  will.  And  that  will  was  prac- 
tically to  dethrone  the  Bishop  as  President  of  the  in- 
stitution into  which  he  had  poured  all  the  energies  of 
his  life.  The  history  of  this  notable  Convention  is  by 
no  means  agreeable  reading.  It  compels  one  to  think 
very  poorly  of  some  qualities  in  human  nature.  The 
Presidency  of  Kenyon  had  become  a  prize  worth  covet- 
ing. If  the  Bishop's  hands  could  be  tied  and  he  would 
consent  to  the  process,  the  hand  that  had  controlled 
Kenyon  hitherto  would  no  longer  be  effective.  This 
was  the  last  thing  he  would  consent  to  do.  He  had 
all  the  temperament  and  qualities  of  a  born  general. 
He  could  not  be  Bishop  and  head  and  voluntarily  con- 
sent to  be  manacled.  But  he  could  make  a  great  sacri- 
fice, and  this  he  did.  His  own  words  have  a  strange, 
holy  passion  in  them  as  he  faced  this  tragedy.  He 
says,  'Dark  and  mysterious  as  the  cloud  of  Divine 
Providence  was,  he  found  himself  wrapped  in  its  awful 
folds,  and  from  it  there  was  no  way  for  escape.  The 
only  hope  that  glimmered  in  the  horizon  was  that  the 
Seminary  itself,  the  child  of  his  first  love  and  best 
affections,  might  be  saved  by  the  sacrifice  of  its  Parent 
and  Founder;  and,  by  the  choice  of  a  successor  all 
things  might  be  brought  back  to  the  righteous  course 
designed  by  the  donors.'  {Reminiscences ,  vol.  ii.,  p.  107.) 

"The  history  of  this  period  would  not  be  complete 
without  the  Bishop's  own  letter  of  resignation  to  the 
Convention  as  follows : 


An   End  and  a  Beginning  237 

"  'To  the  Clergy  and  Laity  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church  of  the  Diocese  of  Ohio,  assem- 
bled in  Convention,  on  this  9th  day  of  September, 
1831. 

"  'Brethren:  We  have  this  day  heard  a  sermon 
preached  by  the  Rev.  Ethan  Allen  from  God's  Word, 
which  I  desire  him  to  publish, — that  we  must  live  in 
peace,  or  we  cannot  be  Christians ;  that  to  secure  peace, 
especially  that  of  God's  Church,  great  sacrifices  must 
sometimes  be  made.  Influenced  by  these  principles, 
I  am  willing,  in  order  to  secure  the  peace  of  God's 
Church  and  that  of  our  beloved  Seminary,  in  addition 
to  the  sacrifices  which,  by  the  grace  of  God,  have 
already  been  made,  to  resign ;  and  I  do  hereby  resign 
the  Episcopate  of  this  Diocese,  and  with  it,  what  I 
consider  constitutionally  identified,  the  Presidency  of 
the  Theological  Seminary  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church  of  the  Diocese  of  Ohio.  The  Convention  will 
make  this  known  to  the  Trustees,  whom  I  am  no 
longer  to  meet  in  my  ofificial  capacity. 

"  'Philander  Chase.' 

"It  looked  as  though  the  sacrifice  the  Bishop  was 
making  was  too  great,  that  neither  Kenyon,  nor  the 
Diocese  of  Ohio,  nor  the  general  Church  ought  to 
have  permitted  this  great  servant  of  the  people  to  cut 
himself  off  from  the  work  that  he  had  nourished  and 
brought  on  to  such  strength.  Alas!  The  general 
Church  knew  nothing  about  it  until  it  was  done.  Ohio 
was  then  in  the  wilderness ;  there  was  neither  railroad 
nor  telegraph  to  tell  the  greater  world  of  the  tragedy 
which  meant  so  much  for  the  Bishop,  for  the  Diocese, 
for  his  friends  both  in  America  and  England,  his  family, 


238  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

for  the  Church  at  large,  and  for  the  spiritual  needs  of 
future  generations. 

"This  deed  was  done.  God  grant  that  never  more 
shall  there  be  such  another!  " 

The  story  goes  on  sadly  enough,  and,  after  all,  when 
the  facts  of  the  whole  proceedings  are  looked  squarely 
in  the  face,  and  when  it  is  considered  what  they  meant, 
one  can  but  regret  that  more  time  had  not  been  taken 
before  the  great  decision  was  made.  However,  events 
have  since  been  so  ordered  that  another  great  diocese 
has  been  founded,  hundreds  of  miles  to  the  West,  by 
the  same  indomitable  man ;  hundreds  of  churches  have 
been  built,  and  for  many  years,  another  school  lived 
and  prospered  and  sent  out  workers  for  the  Church 
at  large.  Just  now,  however,  we  are  to  go  on  with  the 
Bishop  and  his  young  son  to  the  only  home  open  to 
them. 

Mr.  Caswall's  narrative  of  the  Bishop's  withdrawal 
from  Kenyon  is  exceedingly  touching.  "The  feelings 
of  Bishop  Chase,"  he  says,  "in  parting  from  Kenyon 
College  were  of  a  very  painful  nature.  Being  in  his 
company  soon  after  the  adjournment  of  the  Conven- 
tion, I  had  an  opportunity  of  observing  the  intensity 
of  his  indignation  at  what  he  deemed  the  heartless 
course  adopted  by  the  Diocesan  Convention.  He  had 
thought  it  possible  that  its  members  would  make 
almost  any  sacrifice  rather  than  consent  to  a  severance 
of  their  connection  with  their  ecclesiastical  head. 

"The  vehicle  which  was  to  convey  him  and  his  family 
to  their  new  abode  was  soon  in  readiness.  Before  quit- 
ting the  College  the  Bishop  pointed  significantly  to  a 
picture  of  King  Lear,  which  for  some  time  had  deco- 


An  End  and  a  Beginning  239 

rated  his  own  apartment.  In  a  few  words  he  expressed 
to  me  his  sense  of  the  applicability  of  the  subject  to 
his  own  circumstances.  I  accompanied  the  Bishop 
part  of  the  way  on  horseback.  .  .  .  The  builders, 
the  mechanics,  and  the  workmen  had  ranged  them- 
selves in  file,  to  say  farewell,  and  to  ask  a  parting 
blessing.  .  .  .  This  mark  of  respect  visibly  affected 
the  Bishop.  .  .  .  Soon  after  this  we  came  to  a 
cross-road,  where  we  parted,  the  Bishop  proceeding  to 
the  Valley  of  Peace.  Yet,  before  parting,  I  took  the 
liberty  of  assuring  the  Bishop  of  my  firm  belief  that 
posterity,  at  least,  would  do  him  justice." 

The  journey  to  the  Valley  of  Peace  was  like  an  ex- 
ploring expedition.  It  took  a  long  time  to  find  the 
cabin  in  the  dark  woods  and  when  it  was  found,  how 
wretched  was  the  prospect,  how  woe-begone  was  the 
face  of  his  son,  when  he  said:  "Is  this  the  place  where 
you,  dear  father,  and  mother  and  the  rest  of  us  are  to 
live?"  "Yes,  my  son,  this  is  the  place,  and  yet  per- 
haps it  is  no  worse  than  our  blessed  Saviour  once  in- 
habited. Go  back  to  Gambier  and  bring  your  mother 
and  Mrs.  Russell  and  the  children." 

The  Bishop  was  left  alone  to  examine  his  new  home. 
The  timbers  of  the  cabin  had  given  way,  the  floor  was 
unsafe,  the  roof  also,  the  windows  were  gone,  and  the 
fences  down. 

It  was  a  happy  circumstance  that,  for  two  or  three 
days,  the  Bishop's  family  were  delayed  in  separating 
their  personal  effects  from  the  property  of  the  college, 
and,  like  dying  persons,  putting  everything  into  its 
proper  place.  This  was  no  small  task.  The  duty  of 
arranging  every  thing  belonging  to  so  large  an  estab- 
lishment   in    such  manner  that  it  could  be  taken  up 


240  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

intelligently  by  new  hands,  including  books  exhibiting 
receipts  and  expenditures,  required  the  labor  of  several 
days,  giving  the  Bishop  time  to  hire  hands  and  to  do 
much  work  in  repairing  the  cabin.  The  sleepers  were 
replaced  and  the  floor  was  relaid  with  newly  hewn 
puncheons.  The  chimney  hearth  was  repaired  with 
rough  stones  and  the  chimney  itself  rebuilt  and  re- 
plastered  with  fresh  clay.  But  before  the  roof  could 
be  touched  Mr,  Douglas,  the  Bishop's  man,  came  with 
a  covered  Quaker  wagon  and  in  it  the  Bishop's  family. 
It  was  just  at  night  and  they  were  all  weary  and  way- 
sore  with  bad  roads  and  dismal  weather.  Could  any 
one  have  seen  the  countenance  of  her  who  was  to  be 
the  chief  sufferer  with,  in  the  future,  as  she  had  always 
been  the  chief  supporter  in  the  past  of  her  husband, 
as  she  came  out  of  the  coach  and  looked  around  upon 
the  scene  before  her,  tears  of  pity  would  have  been 
shed  for  her.  Not  a  word  from  her,  however,  of  com- 
plaint ;  everything  needed  for  lodging  the  family  was 
ordered  from  the  wagon ;  a  cheerful  fire  soon  blazed 
upon  the  hearth ;  and  the  children  as  they  lay  in  their 
new-made  couches  on  the  floor  were  soon  employed  in 
counting  the  stars  which  shone  through  the  unfinished 
roof,  from  between  the  clouds  which  began  to  fly 
swiftly  over  the  cabin  just  as  sorrow  passes  over  the 
heads  of  innocence. 

Many  things  were  necessary  in  finishing  and  furnish- 
ing even  such  a  cabin,  so  that  the  father  was  obliged 
to  go  to  the  next  town  to  purchase  nails,  glass, 
crockery,  etc. 

He  was  often  asked  where  he  lived,  and  as  often  re- 
plied: "I  live  at  the  end  of  the  road  in  the  Valley  of 
Peace." 


An  End  and  a  Beginning  241 

All  the  Bishop's  papers  from  this  time  until  his 
second  visit  to  England  were  destroyed  in  a  fire,  which 
consumed  his  house  in  Michigan  in  1835.  Consequently 
he  had  no  guide  but  his  memory  to  recall  the  events  of 
this  interim. 

He  remembers  how  hard  and  cold  the  winter  months 
were  in  the  miserable  cabin,  whither  he  and  his  family 
had  fled,  how  difficult  to  provide  the  fuel,  how  con- 
stantly he  had  divine  service  in  that  cabin,  poor  as  it 
was,  and  how  crowded  were  the  assemblies  to  hear  the 
Word  of  God  on  every  Sunday.  The  settlers  came 
from  far  and  near  to  join  in  the  simple  services  that 
told  the  poor  pioneer  of  a  great  hope  in  the  future 
which  was  for  him,  his  wife,  and  his  children;  that,  in 
spite  of  their  lives  of  toil  and  deprivation,  there  was 
something  higher  and  better  in  another  world  than 
this.  Hymns  were  sung,  the  plain  truths  of  the  Bible 
were  taught,  and  the  exiles  in  the  dismal  home  were 
comforted  by  ministering  to  those  poorer  than  them- 
selves in  all  that  makes  life  tolerable.  None  but  those 
who  have  known  by  actual  experience  what  life  in  the 
forests  or  prairies  of  the  far  West  was  at  that  time  can 
understand  what  it  really  means.  There  were  no 
neighbors  for  miles,  no  schools,  no  churches,  no  social 
life,  the  plainest  food, — salt  meat  (if  any)  except  when 
wild  game  from  the  woods  could  be  had, — no  fruit,  the 
plainest  clothing,  cut  and  made  by  the  mother.  When 
the  winter  night  shut  down  upon  the  little  cabin,  it 
was  made  bright  by  the  firelight,  but  how  difficult  for 
her  to  keep  "a  bright  heart  and  a  hearth  swept  clean  " 
for  her  little  brood  of  three  boys  and  one  little  girl, 
and  for  the  father  to  keep  such  a  home  warm  enough 
during   the   long,    cold    night!      All  the  intervals   of 


242  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

moderate  weather  in  the  winter  were  improved  by  the 
father  and  sons  in  clearing  off  the  dead  trees,  and  in 
the  spring  in  repairing  old  fences  and  making  new 
ones.  These  were  probably  rail  fences,  such  as  made 
Abraham  Lincoln  famous.  They  also  put  up  log 
shelters  for  cattle,  and  drained  the  ground.  In  the 
spring  they  sowed  grass  seed;  and  thus  every  day 
there  was  some  improvement  to  be  seen.  What  a 
blessed  thing  it  was  that  the  father  had  been  trained 
as  a  farmer,  for  he  says:  "If  the  weather  was  too  cold 
to  work  on  the  frozen  ground,  the  wood-pile  was  sure 
to  grow  higher  and  the  log  heaps  in  the  woods  were 
consumed  by  fire"  ! 

As  the  spring  came  on,  "the  lengthening  of  every 
day  and  the  opening  of  the  early  flowers  brought  with 
them  the  assurance  that  God  had  not  'forgotten  to  be 
gracious  "  to  them  in  their  desolate  home;  and  as  the 
sun  with  his  genial  beams  had  caused  the  flowers  to 
grow  and  put  forth  their  fragrance  after  the  days  of 
moral  rigor  which  he  and  his  family  had  passed,  the 
Sun  of  Righteousness  might  arise  with  healing  on  His 
wings. 


MEMORIAL  TABLET  OF  BISHOP  CHASE 
Erected  by  the  Diocese  of  Ohio,  in  Church  of  the  Holy  Spirit.      Page  242. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

TO    MICHIGAN   AND   BACK 

IT  was  on  Easter  Day,  1832,  that  the  Bishop  admin- 
istered the  Holy  Communion  for  the  last  time  in 
Ohio.  This  was  in  an  unconsecrated  building  five  miles 
from  the  Valley  of  Peace.  The  occasion  was  very 
solemn,  and  the  congregation  large  and  attentive. 

Upon  returning  home  the  Bishop  found  an  unex- 
pected guest  in  Mr.  Bezaleel  Wells  of  Ohio,  a  very 
dear  friend,  the  father  of  his  son  Dudley's  wife  in  after- 
years.  At  this  time  the  plan  was  formed  for  the  Bishop 
to  accompany  Mr.  Wells  on  a  visit  to  his  son,  who  had 
just  settled  on  Prairie  Ronde  in  the  then  Territory  of 
Michigan.  This  was  a  long  journey,  more  than  three 
hundred  miles,  and  the  road  lay  through  the  Black 
Swamp.  Deep  anxiety  was  depicted  on  the  faces  of 
his  family  as  this  subject  was  discussed;  but  it  was 
finally  decided  that  the  father  should  go,  although  he 
would  be  absent  for  five  or  six  weeks ;  and  meantime 
the  family  must  be  left  in  the  Ohio  woods. 

The  country  to  which  the  friends  were  bound  was 
the  St.  Joseph  country,  well  known  now  as  the  most 
beautiful  part  of  southern  and  western  Michigan. 

Early  on  Monday  morning  the  big  white  horse, ' '  Sol, 
was  shod  by  the  neighboring  blacksmith  and  all  things 
were  set  in  order.    The  Bishop  was  mounted  and,  in  the 

243 


244  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

company  of  Mr.  Wells  and  his  son,  was  on  his  way  to 
Michigan.  A  long  and  tedious  journey  ensued  over 
bridgeless  rivers  and  through  the  deep  mud  of  the 
Maumee  Swamp. 

The  Rev.  Dudley  Chase  tells  this  story  of  the  Bishop's 
journey  through  this  swamp: 

"Five  miles  with  loaded  wagon  was  considered  a 
good  day's  journey  through  this  region.  To  horsemen 
it  was  not  so  bad.  But  imagine  two  dignified  gentle- 
men in  broadcloth  surmounting  this  obstacle.  They 
must  have  been  greatly  altered  in  appearance,  with  per- 
haps unshaven  beards  and  muddy  garments,  for  they 
were  arrested  and  detained  a  day  or  two  as  suspected 
characters  by  some  pursuing  sheriff." 

It  was  Friday  night  when  they  reached  the  place 
called  Adams  Mill,  on  one  of  the  streams  of  the  St. 
Joseph  River,  where  the  landlord  of  a  log-cabin  tavern 
told  the  Bishop  of  some  better  land  that  he  could  find 
farther  west,  and  went  on  to  say  that  "within  eight 
miles  of  this  place,  to  the  southeast,  there  is  a  charming 
limpid  lake  surrounded  with  high  burr  oak  and  prairie 
land  interspersed  with  portions  of  lofty  timber  for 
building.  The  streams  are  of  clear  and  running  water, 
and,  like  the  lake,  abound  in  the  finest  kind  of  fish. 
These  lands  are  now  open  for  market  and  may  be  en- 
tered by  any  one  going  to  White  Pigeon,  where  the 
land  ofiice  is  kept."  The  Bishop  replied  by  asking  a 
question,  "Will  you  show  me  these  lands  if  I  stay 
with  you  a  day  or  two?"  To  which  the  landlord  re- 
plied, "If  I  do  not,  Mr.  Adams,  the  owner  of  the  saw- 
mill, will.  I  will  furnish  him  with  a  horse ;  and  a  man 
who  lives  near  us  shall  go  along  with  you  on  foot  with 
his  rifle,  to  kill  game  and  keep  off  the  wolves." 


To  Michigan  and  Back  245 

This  prospect  seemed  very  inviting  to  the  Bishop, 
and  he  could  not  resist  the  tempation  to  visit  this 
beautiful  land.  Mr.  Wells  and  his  son  proceeded  on 
their  journey.  Notice  was  given  to  the  few  settlers 
at  these  mills  that  divine  service  would  be  held  and  a 
sermon  preached  on  the  morrow.  The  day  proved 
fine  and  nearly  all  the  inhabitants  attended.  This  was 
the  first  time  the  Prayer-book  had  ever  been  used  for 
public  worship  in  all  the  St.  Joseph  country. 

On  Monday  Mr.  Judson's  pony  was  made  ready, 
Mr.  Adams  and  Thomas  Holmes  were  in  waiting. 
The  weather  was  mild  and  the  streams  of  water  were 
soon  crossed.  The  party  took  the  Indian  trail  leading 
from  the  Notowasippi  tribe  of  aborigines  to  another 
tribe.  On  this  trail  they  had  travelled  through  grassy 
land,  studded  with  trees,  when  they  came  in  sight  of  a 
lake  of  pure  water  and  sloping  banks,  thinly  covered 
with  trees.  The  lake  itself  was  of  an  irregular  shape 
and  about  a  mile  and  a  half  long.  It  had  a  promontory 
running  into  it,  covered  with  trees  of  peculiar,  majestic 
grace,  in  the  manner  of  the  fine  rookeries  of  England. 
The  new  verdure  was  like  thrifty  wheat  on  newly  rolled 
land,  when  it  has  attained  enough  of  height  to  cover 
the  ground,  waving  in  the  breeze  and  glistening  in  the 
sunbeams.  In  short,  the  Bishop  was  delighted  with 
this  beautiful  country  ;  even  its  loneliness  was  an  added 
charm  to  him.  Here  he  decided  to  make  his  home; 
he  spent  the  next  day  in  riding  about,  looking  the 
land  over,  and  giving  it  the  name  of  Gilead,  which  it 
still  bears. 

Before  night  a  family  was  discovered  already  on  the 
ground.  A  few  logs  had  been  rolled  together  around 
a  space  of  nine  or  ten  feet  square,  a  covering  put  over 


246  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

it,  six  feet  high  on  one  side,  five  on  the  other;  in  this 
was  Mr.  John  Croy  with  his  wife  and  three  or  four 
children.  This  obliging  family  at  once  recognized  the 
need  of  giving  lodging  to  three  stout  men;  though 
they  were  obliged  to  sleep  on  the  ground,  there  being 
no  floor  to  the  dwelling.  Mrs.  Croy  gave  them  a 
hearty  welcome  and  a  breakfast  of  fresh  fish,  caught 
the  evening  before,  in  that  same  beautiful  sheet  of 
water,  now  called  Gilead  Lake. 

The  Bishop  soon  after  this  went  to  the  land  office, 
thirty  miles  away,  and  entered  and  paid  for  the  farm 
in  this  Land  of  Gilead.  The  price  was  one  dollar  and  a 
quarter  an  acre.  As  he  returned  from  White  Pigeon, 
he  engaged  a  carpenter  to  find  materials  and  draw 
them  to  the  newly  named  place — Gilead — and  put  up 
a  cabin  fourteen  feet  square  for  a  ploughman  and  his 
family. 

The  ploughman  was  hired  at  the  same  time  to  break 
up  fifty  acres  of  prairie  land ;  all  this  was  done  very 
quickly,  to  allow  of  a  crop  of  sod-corn  and  potatoes 
the  same  year.  This  was  done  with  great  difficulty, 
because  the  Sauk  War  had  called  all  the  neighbors  in 
the  surrounding  settlements  to  bear  arms  against  the 
Indian  army  with  the  famous  Black  Hawk  as  its  head ; 
thus  most  of  the  work  was  done  by  himself. 

On  his  own  exertions  and  God's  blessings  on  them, 
the  Bishop  says,  he  looks  back  with  amazement.  The 
sound  of  war  was  nothing  to  his  ears,  compared  with 
the  wants  of  his  dear  family  and  children  left  in  the 
Valley  of  Peace.  They  must  be  moved  on  this  sum- 
mer, and,  with  the  general  want  of  provisions  which 
the  war  must  occasion,  nothing  could  save  them  from 
starving  but  the  blessing  of  God  on  his  exertions  to 


To  Michigan  and  Back  247 

raise  a  crop.  This  view  of  things  gave  him  energy, 
both  of  body  and  mind.  In  this  labor  he  spent  several 
weeks,  each  day  "following  the  ploughman  with  a  bag 
of  Indian  corn,  depositing  three  or  four  kernels  every 
two  feet  in  every  third  furrow,  close  to  the  land  side, 
so  that  the  seed  will  come  up  between  the  interstices 
and  need  no  tillage  until  ripe  for  harvest";  and  thus 
he  ministered  to  his  own  necessities  in  the  week-days, 
while  every  Sunday  he  sought  a  field  of  spiritual  labor 
in  neighboring  settlements  ten  to  twelve  miles  off. 
During  this  period  he  had  no  bed  in  Gilead  but  a 
rough  board,  yet  he  caught  no  cold  nor  sufTered  other- 
wise in  health. 

As  soon  as  the  seed  for  his  crop  was  in,  he  returned 
to  Ohio,  The  big  white  horse  "Sol  "  was  put  on 
board  a  steamer  at  Detroit  and  landed  at  Sandusky 
Bay  in  the  night,  and  before  day  he  had  proceeded  far 
on  his  way  toward  the  Valley  of  Peace,  One  day 
more  brought  him  to  that  lonely  spot. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

BEGINNING   ALL   OVER   AGAIN 

OF  the  Bishop's  return  to  Ohio  it  is  said:  "The 
story  of  his  journey  and  achievements,  though 
unimportant  in  itself,  was  like  that  of  a  long  life  told 
in  few  words.  It  had  a  morning  of  hope,  a  noon  of 
care  and  toil,  and  an  evening  of  peaceful  enjoyment. 
In  less  than  two  hours,  the  story  of  the  discovery  of 
the  Land  of  Gilead,  the  limpid  lake  full  of  fish,  the 
purchase  of  the  farm,  well-stocked  with  deer  and  prairie 
chicken,  the  building  of  the  ploughman's  cottage,  the 
breaking  up  of  the  prairie  ground,  the  planting  of  the 
potatoes  and  the  dropping  of  the  corn  for  a  summer 
crop  with  his  own  hand,  was  told  to  the  delighted 
children.  It  is  unnecessary  to  record  the  eagerness  of 
the  boys  to  go  to  that  land  of  promise.  'Two  only 
must  go  with  me  at  present,'  said  the  father.  'Some 
carpenters  must  be  engaged,  whose  tools  with  the  farm- 
ing tools  will  be  carried  in  a  wagon  drawn  by  Cynthia 
and  Coley.  Mr.  Scritchfield,  our  neighbor,  will  drive 
our  team  of  two  yoke  of  oxen,  attached  to  the  large 
wagon,  which  is  filled  with  beds  to  sleep  on,  and  food 
to  keep  us  alive.  We  shall  need  nothing  better  than 
our  covered  Quaker  wagon,  which  will  be  our  house 
by  night  and  our  coach  by  day,  drawn  by  Sol  and 
Cynthia,  our  faithful  horses.     Who  can  hope,  under 

248 


Beginning  All  Over  Again  249 

Providence,  for  a  safer  journey?  When  we  arrive  at 
Gilead,  we  shall  need  a  cow  for  milk  at  our  meals, 
which  we  must  prepare  ourselves.  This  will  come  as 
near  the  description  of  the  Swiss  Family  Robinson  as 
the  nature  of  our  climate  will  permit.  Let  us  be  off 
as  soon  as  may  be.'  " 

It. was  on  the  4th  of  July,  1832,  that  the  Bishop  with 
his  two  sons  in  the  two-horse  wagon  arrived  in  Gilead. 
The  whole  country  was  covered  with  a  rich  crop  of  wild 
grass,  from  eighteen  inches  to  two  feet  and  even  three 
feet  high.  This  grew  under  burr-oak  trees,  which 
stood  like  fruit  orchards  bending  under  the  weight  of 
the  deep  green  foliage.  Nothing  could  be  more  pleas- 
ing to  the  eye  than  this,  and  when  the  little  cottage 
came  in  sight,  overshadowed  by  lofty  trees  above,  all 
being  smooth  and  clean  beneath,  the  sight  was  truly 
exhilarating. 

The  Bishop  writes:  "Alighting  from  the  wagon  at 
Gilead  with  my  two  young  sons,  the  romance  of 
novelty  disappeared  in  a  sea  of  difficulties.  The  little 
room,  fourteen  feet  square,  was  occupied  by  the 
ploughman,  his  wife,  and  children,  and  to  turn  them 
out  to  accommodate  the  carpenters  would  break  a  con- 
tract ;  besides  their  habits  were  such  as  to  preclude  the 
thought  of  their  preparing  our  food,  therefore  a  shanty 
was  made  of  boards,  where  we  could  cook  for  ourselves ; 
the  covered  wagon  answered  for  the  men  at  night,  the 
Quaker  coach  for  the  boys ;  for  myself,  I  had  a  corner 
of  the  ploughman's  room,  screened  by  blankets.  A 
small  larder  was  made  for  the  provisions,  a  table  of 
clean  boards,  with  benches,  stood  under  the  spreading 
trees.  A  bakepan  was  used  to  prepare  the  biscuits 
until  a  cooking-stove  came  from  Detroit." 


250  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

In  fair  weather  all  things  went  very  well,  the  men  all 
at  work  hewing  timber  and  framing  it  for  a  house  of 
five  rooms,  digging  a  cellar,  making  a  garden  fence ; 
but  in  wet,  cold  weather,  where  did  the  Bishop,  the 
boys,  and  the  workmen  fly  for  protection? 

With  all  the  entertaining  stories  which  the  Bishop's 
ingenuity  and  memory  could  supply,  it  was  difficult 
to  restrain  the  workmen  from  returning  to  their  fami- 
lies in  Ohio.  He  finally  induced  them  to  stay  a 
month,  while  he  went  to  Ohio  for  the  remainder  of  his 
family,  leaving  the  boys  behind.  He  drove  Cynthia 
and  Coley  with  the  Quaker  coach  to  Detroit,  and  leav- 
ing them  there,  took  a  steamer  thence  to  the  Valley 
of  Peace. 

The  long  journey  by  canal  boat  to  Cleveland  and 
steamer  to  Detroit,  with  the  rest  of  his  family,  and 
from  thence  in  the  Quaker  coach  to  Gilead  was  at  last 
over.  They  arrived  at  their  new  home  late  in  the 
evening,  but  found  it  still  unfinished.  They  were 
happy  to  learn,  however,  that  the  ploughman's  house 
had  been  put  in  a  state  of  perfect  neatness  by  the  boys. 
There  was  a  clean  bed  and  the  little  stock  of  furniture 
had  been  arranged,  giving  space  for  the  reception  of 
the  ladies.  The  next  Sunday  even  this  little  house  was 
so  arranged  that  divine  services  were  held  and  the 
Word  of  God  preached ;  the  very  birds  in  the  trees 
seemed  to  join  in  this  delightful  work. 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

A  boy's  life  at  gilead 

OF  the  life  in  Gilead,  Dudley,  who  was  one  of  the 
boys  left  in  possession  of  the  new  home  while 
the  Bishop  returned  to  Ohio,  tells  this  story : 

"  'The  boys'  had  to  be  utilized  as  cooks.  Antici- 
pating this  necessity  in  the  absence  of  the  women  of 
the  family,  they  had  been  partially  initiated  into  the 
mysteries  of  coffee  and  biscuit  making  and  frying 
bacon,  knowing  it  was  useless  to  expect  'help'  from 
any  quarter,  and  the  workmen's  time  was  too  valuable 
and  necessary. 

"After  making  all  needful  provision  of  material  and 
giving  full  instruction,  the  father  left  his  boys  and  work- 
men to  return  to  Ohio  for  the  rest  of  the  family,  ex- 
pecting the  roof  of  the  house  to  be  finished  by  the  time 
of  his  return,  trusting  to  Providence  that  the  Indians 
would  not  scalp  us  meanwhile.  We  were  situated  di- 
rectly on  the  trail, — a  well-defined  track  worn  below  the 
sod  where  for  long  years  past  they  had  travelled  in  their 
fashion,  single  file, — and  we  early  made  their  acquaint- 
ance. They  were  Pottawattomies,  and  seldom  a  day 
passed  that  we  did  not  see  from  five  to  thirty  of  them. 

"We  soon  established  a  scale  of  barter,  and  by  fair 
dealing,  not  manifesting  any  distrust  or  fear,  though 
we  might  have  felt  both  at  times,  we  kept  the  peace. 

251 


252  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

"  On  the  4th  of  July  we,  who  had  kept  an  anxious 
watch,  saw  the  top  of  the  well-known  carriage  appear 
over  the  rising  ground,  and  father,  mother,  brothers, 
and  sister  were  reunited.  Did  we  not  celebrate  the 
day  with  shouts  of  freedom?  Yes!  we  resigned  with 
as  much  grace  as  Washington  when  he  had  successfully 
fought  the  battles  of  his  country.  The  roof  was  on, 
and  our  board-tent  had  disappeared.  The  garden, 
planted  with  forethought,  now  furnished  us  with  vege- 
tables ;  and  the  corn  though  unfenced  promised  a  crop, 
but  alas,  the  loosened  animals,  now  increased  by  the 
new  arrivals,  largely  'cropped'  it  for  their  own  benefit. 

"Farming  operations  were  soon  begun  in  good  ear- 
nest. We  had  three  or  four 'hands,'  but  the  boys  had 
to  pass  their  apprenticeship,  and  soon  became  masters 
at  this  trade  and  learned  to  do  all  things  better  than 
their  teachers,  and  to  take  the  lead  and  direct.  Fences 
were  to  be  made,  the  land  ploughed,  planted,  and  sown, 
grain  reaped,  stacked,  threshed,  and,  in  time,  barns 
and  saw-mill  erected,  forest  trees  cut,  lumber  sawed, 
and  bricks  made.  The  stock  of  horses  and  cattle  had 
to  be  largely  increased  and  provided  for,  and  to  these 
were  added  sheep  and  hogs. 

"The  boys  managed  the  stock,  trained  the  horses, 
handled  the  plough  to  'break  up'  the  sod,  sov/ed  grain, 
made  the  stacks  stand  in  the  form  of  an  egg  upright, 
tramped  out  the  grain  with  horses,  winnowed  it  by  the 
windmill,  washed  and  sheared  the  sheep,  and  took  the 
wool  to  be  woven  into  the  cloth  of  which  the  family 
garments  were  made  at  home.  They  cut  down  the 
forest  trees  in  winter,  and  sawed  the  lumber  in  their 
own  mill  for  fencing  or  building.  They  had  to  know 
what  trees  to  fell  for  that  purpose,  and  to  fell  and  cut, 


A  Boy's  Life  at  Gilead  253 

and  bring  the  logs  by  ox-teams  to  the  mill,  and  there 
make  lumber  of  all  kinds. 

"We  had  our  play  also.  The  girls  made  the  fish- 
nets, and  the  boys  with  their  self-made  canoes  swept 
the  lake  for  fish  or  took  them  with  hook  and  line.  We 
learned  to  be  expert  swimmers,  and  took  advantage  of 
the  fine  skating  in  the  winter.  The  rifle  and  shot-gun 
were  always  ready  and  the  larder  was  well  supplied 
with  game. 

"My  'turn  '  came  to  spend  a  week  in  winter  at  the 
saw-mill,  dividing  day  and  night  work  with  one  'hand  ' 
in  sawing  lumber.  I  heard  the  howling  of  wolves  near 
by.  This  led  me  to  procure  a  bear-trap,  which  was  set 
and  chained  to  the  carcass  of  a  dead  ox.  I  found  the 
next  morning  a  gray  and  black  wolf,  the  largest  of  his 
species,  caught  by  his  leg  in  the  steel  trap.  After  sur- 
veying the  strange  and  savage  look  of  the  captive,  two 
men  were  called,  and  with  a  long  heavy  pole,  they 
pinned  the  beast  to  the  ground,  while  one  unlocked 
the  chain  of  the  trap,  then  letting  him  up  we  gave  the 
word  to  our  noble  mastiff  dog  and  he  at  once  grappled 
with  the  savage  animal.  Our  'Bull '  knew  his  business 
by  instinct  and  grasped  his  throat  and  never  let  go  his 
hold,  while  they  rolled  and  tumbled  about  until  the 
life  of  the  wolf  was  extinct.  This  was  only  one  of 
five  thus  caught  and  dispatched  in  less  than  ten  days, 
all  terrible-looking  fellows,  measuring  six  feet  from  tip 
to  tip.  Their  black  fur  in  the  winter  time  being  in  the 
finest  order,  their  skins  were  well  cured,  and  warmly 
lined,  and  made  a  large  robe  which  we  kept  in  use  for 
many  years  when  we  took  long  rides  in  our  family 
sleigh. 

"From  the  forest,  we  used  to  secure  in  the  fall  large 


254  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

quantities  of  wild  honey.  At  one  time,  I  remember, 
we  took  three  large  washtubs  full  of  honey  from  one 
tree. 

"In  our  Robinson  Crusoe  life  we  had  to  resort  to 
various  expedients  to  supply  our  necessities.  Thus, 
there  being  need  of  a  cistern  for  holding  soft  water  and 
no  stone  or  Hme  to  be  had,  we  made  our  cistern  of  the 
trunk  of  a  tree,  from  which  a  length  of  fourteen  feet 
was  taken,  six  feet  in  diameter.  We  hollowed  this  out 
with  axes  and  adzes  and  placed  it  under  the  eaves ;  it 
held  thirty  barrels  of  water. 

"It  being  decided  at  one  time  to  increase  the  num- 
ber of  our  stock  of  horned  cattle  and  to  procure  them 
as  cheaply  as  possible,  and  as  a  farmer  living  at  White 
Pigeon  Prairie  intended  to  go  into  southern  Illinois  for 
the  same  purpose,  it  was  determined  to  send  me  with 
him,  to  purchase  and  drive  our  small  supply  with  his 
larger  flock  thence  back  to  Michigan.  Accordingly, 
with  many  instructions,  and  furnished  with  a  good 
horse  and  saddle-bags,  and  with  $250.00  in  specie,  I 
set  off  in  company  with  J.  G.,  our  trusted  neighbor. 
We  rode  through  the  prairies  and  woods  of  Michigan 
and  sought  the  shore  of  the  lake  of  that  name,  and 
along  this,  as  our  best  road,  coasted  and  camped  out 
until  we  reached  the  site  where  now  Chicago  stands. 
This  was  in  the  fall  of  the  year  1834.  There  were  at 
that  time,  so  far  as  I  remember,  but  three  houses  of 
any  size  to  be  seen,  excepting  the  building  of  old  Fort 
Dearborn  and  its  lighthouse. 

"There  were  assembled,  at  that  time,  about  a  thou- 
sand Indians  and  as  many  white  men  to  attend  the 
making  of  a  treaty  with  the  United  States  for  the 
cession  of  Indian  claims  to  lands  west  of  the  Mississippi 


A  Boy's  Life  at  Gilead  255 

River.  White  tents  dotted  the  plains  in  all  directions, 
and  the  different  tribes  of  Indians — Sacs,  Foxes,  and 
others — had  their  separate  wigwams  and  gave  exhibi- 
tions of  their  customs  and  their  war  dances,  too  real  to 
make  the  white  men  feel  comfortable.  The  central 
spot,  where  they  most  congregated,  was  about  where 
the  Tremont  House  stood  before  the  fire. 

"As  we  approached  within  a  few  miles  of  the  site  of 
Chicago, then  mostly  a  flat  swamp,  we  saw  a  picturesque 
sight, — an  Indian  dressed  in  their  fashion,  with  paint 
and  feathers,  but  having  a  long  broad  scarf  of  white 
muslin  draped  gracefully  over  his  shoulders,  standing 
on  a  rock,  and  addressing,  with  impassioned  eloquence 
no  doubt,  a  company  of  twelve  old  chieftains,  gravely 
squatted  on  the  ground  before  him,  smoking  their 
pipes.  His  gestures  were  graceful,  and  we  were  told 
he  was  urging  them  not  to  yield  their  hunting  grounds. 

The  tribes,  however,  with  an  eye  to  present  advan- 
tage, kept  the  United  States  Commissioners  in  atten- 
dance for  a  month,  so  long  as  the  supply  of  flour  held 
out,  and  the  whiskey  of  the  traders  and  the  furs  and 
the  blankets  bought  up  in  exchange;  then  they  ac- 
cepted the  treaty." 


CHAPTER  XXX 

MISSION   AND   FARM 

BEFORE  the  Bishop  went  for  his  family,  he  had 
looked  out  a  site  for  a  saw-mill  and  bought  the 
woodland  adjacent.  He  also  purchased  additional 
stock  and  brought  them  to  Gilead.  Wild  hay  was 
secured  and  shelters  for  the  horses  were  put  up,  also 
wheat  was  sown  for  a  crop  for  the  next  year.  Not  an 
hour  was  idly  spent.  Yet  amidst  all  these  cares,  he 
was  intensely  engaged  in  devising  ways  and  means  by 
which  he  might  fulfil  the  duties  of  his  sacred  calling. 
Bishop  Chase  says  of  this  time,  "I  could  not  do  other- 
wise than  suppose  that,  being  turned  from  one  field  of 
duty,  it  was  my  part  to  look  for  another.  What  though 
there  was  no  earthly  emolument  in  such  a  course,  I 
was  but  imitating  the  early  missionaries,  who  did  not 
wait  until  salaries  had  been  prepared  for  them,  else 
there  had  been  no  Gospel  preached  in  the  world." 
The  whole  region  of  St.  Joseph,  embracing  one  hun- 
dred square  miles  and  more,  had  no  clergyman  of  this 
Church  until  now. 

Wherever  the  Bishop  went,  he  invaded  no  man's 
diocese,  parish,  or  labors.  Throughout  this  country  a 
circuit  of  duty  was  planned,  to  be  fulfilled  in  that  and 
coming  years.  This  embraced  Niles,  South  Bend, 
Beardsly   Prairie,    Cassopolis,   White  Pigeon,   Mongo- 

256 


Mission  and  Farm  257 

quinong,  English  Prairie,  Coldvvater,  and  Centreville. 
Some  of  these  places  were  in  Michigan  and  some  in 
Indiana.  They  were  all  regularly  visited,  the  intention 
being  to  repeat  the  visitation  every  quarter  of  a  year. 
What  would  be  the  fruits  of  these  labors  he  never  in- 
quired. "In  the  morning  sow  thy  seed,  and  in  the 
evening  withhold  not  thy  hand." 

Of  this  life  the  Rev.  Dudley  Chase  tells  this  character- 
istic story:  "The  social,  moral,  and  religious  aspect  of 
our  secluded  life  at  Gilead  demands  mention.  At 
home  as  a  matter  of  course  we  had  under  all  circum- 
stances morning  and  evening  prayer  and  Sunday 
services. 

"Excursions  were  made  abroad,  on  self-appointed 
and  self-sustained  missionary  duty  to  villages,  towns, 
and  settlements  within  a  radius  of  sixty  miles.  In  this 
the  elder  son  had  his  training,  if  not  as  lay  reader,  yet 
as  'Respondent '  or  'Clerk  ' ;  for  generally  the  listeners 
were  such  only.  Nor  was  this  all,  for  when  among 
farming  people,  where  we  expected  to  hold  service  in 
the  evening,  he  would  be  told  by  the  Bishop,  'You  are 
used  to  harvest  work,  and  these  good  people  will  take 
it  kindly  if  you  will  help  them  bind  wheat  during  the 
day,  and  then  they  will  come  out  with  more  good  will 
to  service  at  night.' 

One  of  the  incidents  of  the  Gilead  life,  as  told  by  a 
friend  of  the  Bishop,  suggests  the  wisdom  of  Solomon  : 
"A  trail,  or  Indian  path,  led  through  the  land  of 
Gilead,  from  Notowasippi  to  Episcopiscon,  two  settle- 
ments of  the  aborigines.  The  native  tribes  often 
passed  the  Bishop's  house,  and  seldom  failed  to  stop 
for  bread,  a  kind  of  food  rarely  enjoyed  in  their 
wetched   wigwams.     When    any   of  them    received    a 


258  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

piece,  they  devoured  it  greedily,  but  never  allowed  the 
smallest  portion  to  the  females.  Subsequently  the 
Bishop  took  the  squaws  under  his  protection  and 
helped  them  first,  to  the  great  chagrin  of  the  warriors. 
But  he  noticed  that  the  females,  after  consuming  one 
half,  retained  the  remainder  for  their  wretched  part- 
ners." 

As  the  years  went  on,  the  temporal  affairs  of  the 
family  prospered  passing  well.  The  fields  were  en- 
larged, every  year  producing  more  and  more;  the 
number  of  horned  cattle  increased  to  more  than  a 
hundred ;  milk  of  kine,  butter,  and  cheese  were  plenty. 
A  mill  was  built  to  prepare  lumber  for  a  schoolhouse, 
and  all  things  flourished  beyond  the  Bishop's  fondest 
expectations. 

However,  some  painful  reverses  occurred.  Cincin- 
natus  —  the  long-proved  riding  horse  —  when  in  full 
speed  fell,  and  with  him  brought  the  Bishop  to  the 
ground,  causing  serious  injury,  confining  him  for  many 
weeks.  Another,  more  serious,  was  that,  after  a 
crowded  service  in  a  cabin  in  very  hot  weather,  the 
Bishop  went  up  a  ladder  to  seek  for  coolness  in  a  loft 
and  for  purer  air  through  the  unchinked  logs ;  he 
threw  a  rug  on  the  floor,  a  wooden  block  for  a  pillow 
seemed  comfortable  for  the  moment,  and  he  fell  into  a 
deep  sleep,  from  which  he  was  awakened  by  a  cold, 
almost  freezing,  wind.  A  raging  fever  succeeded.  He 
was  hardly  conscious  of  his  long  ride  home,  and  came 
near  losing  his  life. 


CHAPTER    XXXI 

A    PROTRACTED    MEETING 

THE  story  of  the  "protracted  meeting"  and  the 
Bishop  is  given  in  his  own  words  to  a  certain 
point.  As  he  speaks  of  himself  as  the  writer,  the  use 
of  the  third  person  pronoun  will  be  understood : 

"While  he  lived  in  Michigan,  near  the  Indiana  line, 
beside  his  place  of  quarterly  visitation  throughout  St. 
Joseph's  country,  the  writer  had  a  stated  place  of 
holding  divine  service  between  Pretty  Prairie  and 
English  Prairie.  This  was  chosen  on  account  of  its 
central  position,  accommodating  persons  from  both 
Michigan  and  Indiana.  On  a  certain  Sunday,  it  was 
made  known  some  time  beforehand  that  divine  service 
would  be  held  at  Mr.  Anderson's,  in  the  grove  about 
nine  miles  from  Gilead. 

' '  Being  aware  of  this  appointment,  the  writer  directed 
his  horses  (as  on  such  emergencies  was  usual)  to  be 
brought  in  Saturday  night  from  the  open  prairie,  and 
secured  and  fed  in  the  stable  ready  for  a  start  on  the 
morrow. 

"  'The  place  at  Mr.  Anderson's  is  already  occupied 
by  the  denominations,  which  may  prevent  your  going,' 
said  the  writer's  son.  'Can  this  be  true?  Occupied 
by  the  denominations.'  'Yes  sir,  and  has  been  so  for 
a  week  past.'  'But  this  day,  Sunday,  is  mine  by  ap- 
pointment,' said  the  writer. 

25Q 


26o  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

"  'No  matter;  they  will,  I  suppose,  have  it  their  own 
way.  Power  creates  right  in  this  land  of  liberty,  and 
they  are  more  numerous  than  we  are ;  so  I  suppose  you 
will  not  go,  dear  father.' 

"The  answer  was  in  a  few  words:  'Put  up  the 
horses.'  The  weather,  Sunday  morning,  proved  fine; 
and  nine  miles  were  soon  travelled.  The  Quaker 
coach  was  full  of  young  people,  with  a  goodly  number 
of  Prayer-books  to  accommodate  those  who  were  des- 
titute of  that  precious  means  of  public  worship. 

"As  we  drew  near  Mr.  Anderson's,  his  house  and 
yard  seemed  full  of  people ;  one  of  whom  was  seen  to 
run  out  from  the  assembled  multitude,  directing  his 
course  toward  the  approaching  Quaker  coach,  a  vehicle 
well  known  throughout  the  neighborhood.  This  per- 
son proved  to  be  Mr.  Carey,  who  with  great  kindness 
in  his  manner  said  he  was  sorry  to  see  the  writer  even 
though  it  were  to  fulfil  his  appointment.  'For,'  said 
he,  'although  I  am  a  Presbyterian,  I  do  not  like  to  see 
the  privileges  of  others  not  respected,  and  the  mixing 
of  all  denominations  I  do  not  like;  little  good  will  I 
fear  come  of  it.  But  the  clergy  would  all  have  their 
own  way.  There  they  are  together  in  great  confusion, 
all  denominations  mingled.'  'Is  Mr.  Cory  there? '  said 
the  writer.  '  He  is'  said  Mr.  Carey.  '  Pray  go  to  him, ' 
said  the  writer,  'with  my  best  compliments;  and  de- 
sire him  to  have  the  goodness  to  come  and  speak  with 
me,  and  bring  all  the  ministers  with  him.' 

"These  words  seemed  to  relieve  the  anxiety  and 
calm  the  perplexed  feelings  of  good  Mr.  Carey,  who, 
turning  around,  went  with  nimble  steps  to  the  crowd ; 
and  by  the  time  the  writer  had  arrived  on  the  ground, 
Mr.  Cory,  the  Presbyterian  minister,  and  Mr. , 


A  Protracted  Meeting  261 

the  Congregational  minister,  and  Mr. ,  the  Bap- 
tist minister,  all  came  out  of  the  mixed  multitude;  and 
after  their  manner  saluted  the  writer,  who  most  sin- 
cerely asked  each  of  his  good  health.  After  this  he 
briefly  said,  that  he  had  come  to  fulfil  his  appointment 
and  hoped  they  would  see  fit  to  join  in  the  solemn 
service,  which  he  was  about  to  commence,  for  the  wor- 
ship of  Almighty  God.  To  this  they  all  readily  as- 
sented; they  would  attend  and  hear,  but  as  for  joining 
or  taking  any  part  in  the  service,  they  could  not,  for 
they  had  no  books.  They  could  hear  the  writer,  as 
they  did  one  another,  extemporize.  The  reply  was 
'  Hearing  prayers  is  not  praying,  gentlemen :  I  have 
anticipated  the  difificulty  you  mention  as  to  a  deficiency 
of  Prayer-books,  therefore  have  brought  some  dozens 
with  me,  at  your  service.  Go,  my  son,  and  bring 
them.'  This  was  immediately  done  and  the  same  were 
distributed  among  the  ministers:  'But  we  do  not  know 
how  to  use  them,'  said  they.  'If  you  will  allow  me 
the  honor,'  said  the  writer,  'I  will  try  to  direct  you  in 
this  pleasing  duty.  But  what  I  would  wish  to  say  to 
you  I  wish  may  be  heard  by  the  others,  who  also  may 
desire  to  join  in  the  service,  and  to  whom  books  will 
be  given ;  yea,  to  all  this  assembly,  as  well  as  to  the 
ministers.'  " 

The  rest  of  the  story  is  told  briefly  by  a  late  writer: 
"Without  waiting  for  a  reply  the  Bishop  marched  to 
the  platform,  with  the  ministers  at  his  heels,  and  an- 
nounced:  "Neighbors!  I  hold  in  one  hand  a  Bible,  in 
the  other  a  Prayer-book.  The  one  teaches  us  how  to 
live,  and  the  other  how  to  pray.  I  know  you  are 
familiar  with  the  one,  I  doubt  if  you  are  with  the 
other.     I  have  brought  some  dozens  of  copies  with  me. 


262  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

With  the  aid  of  these,  my  good  brethren,  I  will  try  to 
lead  you  in  the  service.  If  any  of  you,  through  the 
depravity  of  the  natural  heart,  are  averse  to  being 
taught  how  to  pray,  you  need  the  teaching  all  the 
more  on  that  account.  Without  confession  there  is,  as 
you  know,  no  remission  of  sins.  We  will  therefore 
confess  our  sins  to  Almighty  God,  all  in  the  same 
voice.  You  will  observe  that  no  man  can  say  'Our 
Father  '  until  he  has  confessed  his  faults.  The  proper 
attitude  when  we  pray  is  on  our  knees,  as  did  Solomon, 
Daniel,  Stephen,  and  Paul.  After  their  example,  I  en- 
join upon  you  all  to  fall  upon  your  knees  and  say  with 
me  the  General  Confession  and  the  Lord's  Prayer." 
And  so  the  service  proceeded,  "The  responses  from 
the  great  congregation  being  as  the  voice  of  many 
waters. ' '  We  are  quite  sure  the  sermon  which  followed 
this  remarkable  service  was  "right  to  the  point." 


CHAPTER    XXXII 

A   NEW    DIOCESE   AND   ITS    NEEDS 

WHILE  the  Bishop  was  improving  his  farm  at  Gil- 
ead,  and  making  in  this  beautiful  land  a  pleas- 
ant home,  his  English  friends  did  not  forget  him,  and 
many  kind  and  cheering  letters  came  from  across  the 
sea;  but  now  new  things  in  the  new  world  awaited  him. 

A  few  clergymen  of  Illinois  organized  a  diocese  and 
assembled  a  regular  convention.  The  Bishop  knew 
nothing  of  this.  It  was  the  summer  of  1835  before  he 
was  notified  of  his  appointment  to  the  Episcopate  of 
Illinois,  to  which  he  replied  in  this  way,  "As  I  had  no 
agency  directly  or  indirectly  in  causing  this  event,  I 
cannot  but  regard  it  as  entirely  providential,  and  as 
such,  implying  a  command  from  the  Great  Head  of  the 
Church  to  enter  anew  upon  the  discharge  of  my  Epis- 
copal duties,  so  solemnly  enjoined  in  my  consecration." 

In  making  this  great  change,  in  giving  up  this  now 
pleasant  home  in  Gilead,  surrounded  with  gardens, 
orchards,  and  vineyards  and  rich  with  herds  of  cattle 
and  sheep,  and  again  encountering  at  a  late  period  of 
life  the  discomforts  and  dangers  of  frontier  life  with  no 
provision  whatever  for  the  support  of  his  family,  ex- 
cept what  might  be  gathered  from  the  deserted  home, 
one  wonders  how  the  situation  was  met  by  the  faithful 
wife  and  mother. 

263 


264  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

Cheerfully  and  hopefully,  arranging  affairs  with 
energy,  adding  nothing  to  the  cares  of  her  husband, 
even  urging  him  to  go  on  to  the  General  Convention, 
although  the  want  of  money  made  this  trip  difficult. 
The  journey  there  and  back  was  made  with  his  Quaker 
coach  and  his  faithful  horses,  three  hundred  and  fifty 
miles,  entirely  alone,  through  an  almost  uninhabited 
country,  trackless  prairies,  and  the  deep  and  muddy 
streams  of  the  Okaws. 

Reaching  home,  he  found  himself  confronted  with 
new  cares  and  responsibilities,  perhaps  of  more  im- 
portance to  the  world  than  any  hitherto  encountered. 
He  had  no  money  and  no  expectation  of  a  salary  from 
the  Church  he  was  serving.  Again  he  had  a  helpless 
diocese  with  but  one  complete  house  of  worship  in  all 
the  great  State  of  Illinois,  the  clergy  consisting  of  the 
Bishop,  four  presbyters,  and  two  deacons.  When  we 
consider  what  this  meant  for  him  in  his  advanced 
years,  scathed  as  he  was  physically  with  injuries  from 
accidents  incurred  in  solitary  journeys  through  woods 
and  wide  prairies,  exposed  to  cold  and  heat,  not  to 
speak  of  wounds  spiritual,  inflicted  by  those  whom  he 
had  loved  and  trusted,  one  wonders  if  the  inspiring 
"motto  "  still  gave  him  full  faith  to  go  on. 

The  answer  is  found  in  the  fact  that  he  had  even 
now  determined  to  go  again  to  England  to  seek  for  the 
only  aid  possible  for  the  work.  The  churches  east  of 
the  AUeghanies  were  imitating  in  some  degree  the  tardy 
and  selfish  inaction  of  the  English  Church  before  the 
consecration  of  Bishop  Seabury.  No  help  in  any  way 
was  promised  the  Bishop  for  Illinois.  Being  in  the 
East  to  attend  the  General  Convention,  he  decided 
upon  his  course  without  returning  to  his  family.     How 


BISHOP  PHILANDER  CHASE 
From  Steel  Engraving  by  Prudhomme.       Pai^t'  264. 


A  New  Diocese  and  its  Needs         265 

this  decision  was  received  by  his  wife  is  shown  by  the 
following  letter, — a  model  of  brevity,  courage,  and 
faith, — the  two  latter  to  be  tried  in  an  unexpected 
way. 

"  GiLEAD,  M.  T.,  Oct.  e,  1835, 
"My  dear  Husband: 

"The  last  mail  that  came  brought  your  three  letters, 
from  Hopkinton,  Hartford,  and  the  last  from  New 
York,  dated  September  22d ;  by  these  I  conclude  you 
have  made  up  your  mind  to  go  to  England, 

"If  it  is  of  God,  why  should  I  try  to  contend  against 
it,  or  even  wish  to  do  so?  I  do  not — but  bid  you  God 
speed.  I  will  try  to  do  my  duty  by  the  children, 
though  greatly  will  they  miss  you  in  their  education. 
For  our  earthly  support  we  are  abundantly  provided; 
and  the  boys  are  very  steady.  We  will  go  on  then, 
and  look  to  the  spring  for  your  happy  return  and  the 
enjoyment  of  their  usual  literary  privileges.  Philander 
is  quite  well  again  and  the  rest  of  our  sick  neighbors 
getting  on. 

"I  have  but  a  minute  to  write,  as  I  knew  not  of  the 
opportunity  until  this  moment. 

"With  love  from  all,  I  remain, 

"Your  affectionate  wife, 

"S.  M.  Chase." 

Before  sailing  for  England  he  visited  his  old  friends 
in  Hartford,  and  received  from  them  testimonials  of 
the  tenderest  regard  and  remembrance,  signed  by  the 
principal  members  of  his  old  congregation. 

On  the  1st  of  October,  1835,  he  sailed  for  England 
in  the  good  packet  ship  SL  James.  He  landed  at 
Portsmouth,       No    doubt    he   had    made   his    fellow- 


266  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

passengers  his  friends  and  admirers,  although  they  were 
perfect  strangers  (with  the  exception  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Ralston,  the  latter  the  daughter  of  Mr.  Timothy  Wig- 
gin,  now  of  London),  for  they  presented  him  at  part- 
ing with  a  valuable  gift. 

The  seventy  miles  between  Portsmouth  and  London 
were  travelled  in  a  post-chaise,  with  the  Ralstons. 
The  roads  were  fine  and  they  went  at  eight  or  ten 
miles  an  hour  through  lovely  England  to  Harley  Street, 
where  he  was  most  affectionately  welcomed  by  his  old 
and  good  friends,  the  Wiggins.  Mr.  Wiggin  was  evi- 
dently a  wise  and  generous  friend,  ever  faithful  and 
ever  desirous  of  doing  good  in  the  very  best  way. 

The  Bishop  found  that  some  of  his  dearest  and  best 
friends  had  in  the  twelve  years  since  his  first  visit 
"gone  away  into  the  world  of  light";  among  them 
those  most  beloved,  George  W.  Marriott  and  Lord 
Gambier.  Bishop  Burgess,  that  gentle  prelate  who, 
when  so  many  good  people  were  frowning  upon  the 
Bishop  under  the  influence  of  false  reports,  had  stood 
his  fast  friend,  had  also  passed  from  this  life,  and  the 
Bishop  of  Durham  also. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Pratt  was  still  living,  in  active  duty 
in  the  Church,  also  the  Rev.  Thomas  Hartwell  Home, 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Wilks,  and  Lord  Bexley.  All  these  were 
glad  to  see  him.  But,  as  was  natural,  there  was  no 
very  cheering  evidence  that  they  expected  his  success 
in  obtaining  funds  for  a  new  college  in  the  far  west  of 
America,  hundreds  of  miles  beyond  Kenyon.  He  was 
met,  however,  with  most  affectionate  greetings  from 
Lord  Kenyon  and  Lady  Rosse,  from  the  widow  of  G. 
W.  Marriott,  and  from  the  Bishop  of  Sodor  and  Man. 

It  was  not  long  after  this  that  Mr.  Pratt,  Mr.  Home, 


A  New  Diocese  and  its  Needs         267 

and  Mr.  Wilks  took  up  the  cause  of  Illinois,  The 
Bishop  was  invited  to  dine  with  the  Lord  Mayor;  and 
he  must  have  enjoyed  his  dinner,  for  in  a  letter  to  Mrs. 
Chase  he  said,  "We  had  venison  and  game  about  as 
good  as  that  of  Gilead,  Michigan." 

The  Bishop  received  a  friendly  and  cheering  letter 
from  Lady  Rosse,  enclosing  a  large  sum  for  the  work 
in  Illinois.  Other  friends  united,  and  showed  that 
they  had  not  forgotten  the  object  of  his  life,  renewed 
in  his  old  age,  and  he  was  cheered  with  many  tokens 
of  affection  and  good  will,  not  only  in  money  for  his 
work,  but  in  the  kindest  social  attentions,  showing  the 
regard  felt  for  him  among  those  of  the  highest  charac- 
ter and  station. 


CHAPTER   XXXIII 

IN    ENGLAND   AGAIN 

THE  Bishop's  introduction  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Tyndale 
and  his  family,  the  rector  of  Holton  near  Oxford, 
led  not  only  to  a  delightful  visit  to  Holton  Rectory 
but  to  Oxford  also. 

Among  the  many  eminent  men  whom  he  met  here, 
he  mentions  the  Rev.  Mr.  Newman,  "a  faithful  min- 
ister of  the  primitive  school  and  who  is  the  rector  of 
St.  Mary's."  The  Bishop  goes  on  to  say  that  Mr. 
Hamilton  is  a  little  higher  in  the  primitive  list,  he  goes 
even  as  far  back  as  the  Bible  for  his  religion.  He 
speaks  also  of  meeting  Mr.  William  Pusey  with  Lady 
Lucy  Pusey  at  the  manor  house  near  Holton  Rectory, 
and  Dr.  Churton  of  Brasenose  College  at  a  dinner. 
These  all  continued  "until  late  at  night  in  the  full  flow 
of  English  talk.  Our  chief  topics  were  the  Church  of 
England,  the  Roman  and  Episcopal  Communions,  and 
the  necessities  of  Illinois.  Mr.  William  Pusey  is  most 
friendly  and  agreeable  in  his  manner.  He  listened 
with  interest  to  the  allegory  of  the  ship  and  the  raft ; 
the  one  well  authorized,  the  other  self-appointed ;  the 
one  put  together  by  the  hand  of  a  Divine  Artisan,  the 
other  the  voluntary,  fortuitous  meeting  together  of  dis- 
cordant material ;  but  above  all,  was  he  pleased  with 
the  old  story  of  'the  three  sons.'  "     This  story  tells 

26S 


In  England  Again  269 

how  "three  sons  wearing  three  coats,  all  on  equal 
terms  of  favor  with  a  venerable  father,  who,  in  parting 
from  them  gave  each  a  good  wife,  a  good  coat  without 
a  seam,  and  his  last  will  and  testament,  enjoining  them 
to  keep  their  coats  without  any  fringes  or  alteration  or 
additions: 

"How  one  of  the  three,  Peter,  began  the  quarrel  and 
did  break  communion  with  the  other  two  by  requiring 
them  to  turn  their  wives  out  of  doors,  and  command- 
ing them  to  put  fringes,  flounces,  and  furbelows  on  their 
coats,  and  to  contradict  their  very  senses  by  making 
them  call  bread,  wine;  which  was  not  bread  as  they 
tasted  it  to  be,  but  something  in  its  natural  essence, 
which  they  were  called  on  to  worship.  This,  the  other 
two  brothers,  Martin  and  John,  perceived  would  be 
blasphemy  and  idolatry : 

"How  the  same  usurping  one,  Peter,  had  locked  up 
their  father's  will  from  his  brothers,  so  that  for  years 
and  years  they  had  not  the  comfort  of  reading  the  dear 
last  words  of  their  loved  parent,  till  one  John  Wickliffe 
of  Lutterworth  made  them  a  key  to  unlock  their 
wicked  brother's  desk  and  obtain  possession  of  the 
precious  relic:  How  that  in  reading  the  will,  the  two 
brothers  differed.  The  one  was  for  pulling  off  all  the 
fringe  from  the  coat  at  once,  which,  essaying  to  do,  he 
tore  it  and  much  injured  its  beauty  and  usefulness  and 
durability;  while  the  other  was  more  deliberate  in  his 
work  of  reformation,  picking  off  the  fringe  stitch  by 
stitch,  saying,  'Look  here,  brother,  and  imitate  my 
example,  for  I  have  pulled  off  Peter's  fringe  and 
flounces  and  furbelows  and  have  a  good  coat  yet,  just 
as  our  venerable  father  gave  to  us  with  the  will." 

The  course  of  the  allegory,  justified  in  all  its  parts 


270  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

by  historic  facts,  was  well  received  by  Mr.  William 
Pusey.  Mr.  Pusey  was  a  brother  of  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Pusey. 

The  Bishop  visited  Magdalen  College  and  enjoyed 
the  hospitality  of  Dr.  McBride.  He  also  called  with 
Mr.  Tyndale  on  Dr.  Newman,  who  had  not  yet  gone 
over  to  Rome,  He  described  him  as  "a  pale,  silent 
man."  The  Bishop's  visit  to  Oxford  proved  at  this 
time  very  happy.  In  fact  every  attention  was  shown 
him  from  sources  which  might  have  too  deeply  flattered 
a  less  simple  and  more  worldly  man. 

After  this  the  visit  to  Hams  Hall,  the  home  of  Lady 
Rosse,  was  equally  enjoyed  and  appreciated.  He  re- 
ceived from  her  ladyship  and  Lord  Lawton,  her  son- 
in-law,  the  utmost  kindness. 

At  Hughenden  the  Bishop  spent  his  sixtieth  birth- 
day with  his  delightful  new  friends.  Sir  James  and  Mrs. 
Norris. 

From  now  on,  the  Bishop's  journal  contains  records 
of  visits  to  friends  new  and  old,  resulting  in  much  good  ; 
and  it  would  be  strange  if,  in  such  society  among  the 
very  best  English  people,  he  were  not  cheered  and  re- 
freshed in  body  and  soul.  It  was  a  very  brief  respite 
from  work,  from  straitened  means  and  overwhelming 
care.  On  the  25th  of  January  the  Bishop  addressed  a 
large  meeting  at  Cambridge  upon  the  subject  of  the 
needs  of  Illinois.  January  27th  he  dined  with  the 
master  and  fellows  of  Trinity  College.  After  leaving 
Cambridge  he  visited  Lady  Olivia  Sparrow  at  her 
beautiful  home  at  Brampton  Park,  where  he  received 
a  letter  from  Lord  Kenyon,  enclosing  two  letters  from 
the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  and  the  Bishop  of 
London. 


CHAPTER   XXXIV 

BAD   NEWS  AND    GOOD   FRIENDS 

ON  the  9th  of  February  the  Bishop  received  a  letter 
from  Mrs.  Chase  which  announced  the  burning 
of  his  home  and  most  of  his  household  goods.  Mrs. 
Chase  writes : 

"Last  Saturday  night  we  went  to  bed  in  apparent 
security,  but  about  twelve  o'clock  a  slight  noise  like 
the  kindling  of  a  fire  in  a  stove  startled  us.  I  sprang 
from  bed  and  throwing  open  the  dining  room  door  saw 
that  the  flames  had  burst  from  the  upper  part  of  the 
chimney  into  the  garret.  The  cry  of  '  Fire  ! '  instantly 
assembled  all  the  family.  A  tub  of  water  was  in  the 
kitchen,  and  three  pails  full  in  as  many  seconds  were 
thrown  on.  It  was,  I  saw,  in  vain.  The  fire  had  seized 
the  roof ;  I  bid  them  all  to  lose  no  time,  but  throw  out 
as  fast  as  possible.  My  first  care  was  your  sermon 
box,  and  then  the  box  of  English  letters  with  your 
letters  to  me  from  England,  certificates,  and  three  hun- 
dred dollars  in  money.  Most  of  our  beds  and  clothing 
were  saved,  two  small  tables,  four  chairs,  my  bed 
curtains,  sleigh  fur,  side-saddle,  and  a  few  other 
articles. 

"That  we  saved  so  much  is  more  to  be  wondered  at 
than  that  so  much  perished,  for  there  were  only  five 
minutes  to  spare.     By  tearing  down  the  flaming  board 

271 


272  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

fence,  the  ruin  was  stayed  and  the  school-house  and 
milk-house  were  preserved.  We  had  our  beds  taken 
to  the  school-house,  lighted  a  candle,  and  wrapped 
ourselves  in  blankets.  It  had  been  thawing  all  day  and 
water  was  not  yet  frozen  on  the  ground,  so  that  our 
feet,  though  very  cold,  as  we  were  all  for  a  time  bare- 
foot, did  not  suffer. 

"A  partition  has  been  nailed  up  in  the  school-room, 
the  floor  laid  double,  two  windows  put  in,  and  every 
hour  adds  something  to  our  comfort.  Mary's  first 
care  was  your  picture;  the  box  of  Communion  plate 
and  the  large  chest  of  papers  are  lost. 

"Benny,  the  Scotchman,  served  us  faithfully.  The 
other  poor  fellow,  a  Dutchman,  on  hearing  the  alarm 
was  so  bewildered  that  instead  of  going  down-stairs,  he 
threw  himself  out  of  the  window  without  raising  the 
sash.  Without  knowing  it,  he  brought  down  two 
blankets  with  him ;  they  broke  his  fall  and  kept  him 
from  injury  from  the  glass. 

"Among  the  things  saved,  I  saw  your  large  chair 
and  asked  who  brought  it  out.  Benny,  the  Scotch- 
man, said  that  when  he  thought  he  could  save  nothing 
more,  he  looked  and  thought  he  saw  you  sitting  in  it 
and  could  not  let  it  burn. 

"And  now,  dear  husband,  let  not  this  event  shorten 
your  mission  or  damp  your  zeal.  I  know  your  heart 
is  at  home,  and  you  will  feel  much  for  our  privation, 
but  we  have  still  the  essentials  of  life,  plenty  of  grain 
and  meat.  These  trials  will  make  men  of  our  boys ;  if 
it  makes  Christians  of  them  I  shall  welcome  them. 
How  little  did  you  think  when  laboring  so  hard  and 
expending  all  you  could  raise  to  build  up  a  church  in 
Gilead,  that  you  were  raising  a  shelter  for  your  house- 


Bad  News  and  Good  Friends  273 

less  family !     Without  this  to  flee  to  our  health,  if  not 
our  lives,  must  have  been  sacrificed. 

"May  this  mercy  quicken  our  diligence  and  make  us 
willing  to  labor  without  ceasing  for  the  cause  of  Christ 
and  His  Church." 

This  letter  came  while  the  Bishop  was  with  his 
friends  the  Wiggins.  Mrs.  Wiggin  took  the  letter 
without  the  Bishop's  knowledge  and  had  it  litho- 
graphed. It  was  circulated  among  her  friends  and 
afterward  seen  under  different  circumstances. 

It  is  impossible  to  mention  the  names  of  all  the  good 
friends  who  gave  so  much  comfort  to  the  Bishop  in  this 
new  trial,  and  in  a  most  painful  illness  which  followed. 
Among  them  must  be  mentioned  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Rumsey 
of  Amersham,  near  Chesham  and  Hundritch.  The 
Bishop  spent  some  time  with  them  at  their  pleasant 
home,  little  imagining  that  at  Chesham  still  existed 
family  records  of  his  Chase  ancestors  back  to  the  year 
1538,  and  that  the  private  chapel  of  Thomas  Chase  of 
Hundritch,  parish  of  Chesham,  still  stood  at  that  place. 

Here  is  another  letter  from  Mrs.  Chase,  which  shows 
what  one  woman  accomplished  sixty-five  years  ago,  as 
a  helpmeet  in  her  husband's  absence.  She  had  the 
brain  and  the  body  and  the  strong  nerve  of  a  woman 
in  ten  thousand,  and  she  needed  all  these  at  this  time. 

"GiLEAD,  M.  T.,  March  26,  1836. 

"My  dear  Husband: 

"Knowing  your  anxiety  to  hear  from  home  I  send 

this  to  await  your  arrival,  although  I  think  it  may  be 

that  you  are  now  leaving  England. 

"Your  letters  have  been  to  us  a  comfort  and  source  of 
18 


2  74  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

holy  joy  that  God  has  raised  up  to  you  such  friends,  to 
advance  His  honor  and  glory  in  this  western  wilderness. 

"The  winter  has  passed  to  us  slowly,  and  we  have 
looked  to  the  time  of  the  singing  of  birds  and  the 
springing  of  vegetation  as  one  of  great  happiness. 
Also  to  our  deliverance  from  a  very  confined  situa- 
tion ;  all  kinds  of  work  in  one  room.  We  have  had 
two  stoves,  yet  at  times,  keeping  them  as  hot  as  wood 
could  make  them,  it  would  freeze  in  the  room  in  the 
daytime,  always  at  night ;  but  we  have  wanted  for  noth- 
ing; the  farm  has  yielded  abundance;  we  have  slept 
warm  and  enjoyed  good  health.  What  more  could  we 
desire  as  regards  the  wants  of  the  body?  As  for  food 
for  the  mind,  our  weekly  religious  papers  and  your 
letters  are  all  that  we  could  look  to. 

"On  Sunday,  Benny  always  went  home  and  we  had 
among  ourselves  the  Sunday  services.  The  boys  had 
been  content  to  remain  in  and  join  in  the  service. 
How  long  this  will  last,  I  know  not;  young  people  re- 
quire more  to  instruct  them  than  is  to  be  found  in  the 
family  circle,  and  the  father  absent.  Nothing  I  long 
for  more  than  greater  Christian  privileges  for  the  boys. 

"To-day  is  quite  like  spring,  the  birds  are  singing 
and  the  frost  slowly  coming  out  of  the  ground.  The 
return  of  warm  weather  reminds  us  all  of  your  return. 
The  children  talk  and  dream  of  it  constantly." 


CHAPTER   XXXV 

THE   robin's   nest 

THE  most  affecting  evidences  of  love  and  veneration 
were  sent  to  the  Bishop  by  his  English  friends 
when  it  was  known  that  he  had  decided  to  sail  on  the 
packet  ship  Hannibal,  from  Portsmouth  to  New  York, 
on  the  2 1st  of  April;  where  he  arrived  on  the  27th  of 
May.  He  was  able  to  hold  divine  service  every  Sun- 
day save  one  on  board  ship. 

Visiting  Philadelphia  he  met  Bishop  White,  who  ap- 
proved of  his  plans,  and  was  greatly  pleased  with  the 
letter  from  Queen  Adelaide  and  a  benefaction  through 
Lord  Howe  for  the  benefit  of  the  German  Prayer  Book 
Society. 

The  Bishop  then  returned  to  New  York,  visiting 
Hartford  and  meeting  his  son  Dudley,  who  was  in 
college  there.  From  thence  he  went  on  to  Bethel  and 
Randolph,  Vermont,  meeting  his  sister  Alice,  his 
brother.  Judge  Chase,  and  his  sister  Mrs.  Denison  at 
Royalton,  also  at  Randolph  the  widow  of  his  son 
George  and  her  two  little  girls.  He  had  never  seen 
these  grandchildren  before.  It  was  a  sad  meeting,  for 
the  mother  was  now  left  quite  alone  in  the  world  with 
her  two  helpless  children. 

Upon  returning  to  his  Michigan  home  the  work  of 
disposing  of  what  was  not  needed  for  the  long  journey 

275 


276  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

to  Illinois  "by  land,"  and  choosing  what  was  neces- 
sary, went  on  apace.  A  childish  letter  from  the 
daughter  of  the  house  to  her  brother  in  college  tells 
the  story.  No  doubt  the  novelty  and  change  of  the 
flitting  added  a  piquant  pleasure  to  this  first  experience 
of  the  little  girl. 

"Our  dear  father  arrived  at  Gilead  upon  the  28th  of 
June,  1836.  It  was  a  day  of  rejoicing  indeed;  all  ordi- 
nary occupations  were  laid  aside,  and  were  it  not  for 
the  recollection  that  some  dear  friends  were  still  ab- 
sent, our  happiness  had  been  complete.  Dear  mother 
actually  cried  for  joy.  The  few  remaining  days  at 
Gilead  were  spent  very  pleasantly.  The  5th  of  July, 
Jane,  who  had  concluded  to  go  with  us,  went  to  pre- 
pare herself  for  the  journey.  Father  held  service  the 
Sunday  following  for  the  last  time  before  our  departure. 

"The  next  day  our  movables  were  sold,  and  B.  re- 
turned from  Detroit  bringing  with  him  a  good  wagon, 
and  an  elegant  span  of  horses,  named  Pompey  and 
Nero,  as  a  present  from  Mr.  C.  C,  Trowbridge  to  our 
dear  father. 

"At  length  the  day  arrived  when  we  should  leave 
our  once  happy  home,  and  go— we  knew  not  whither. 
The  ox-team,  driven  by  a  hired  man,  led  the  van ;  the 
old  carriage  with  the  family  came  next;  then  H.  in  the 
other  wagon  and  P.  on  old  Cincinnatus  brought  up 
the  rear.  Thus  we  set  off,  after  humbly  asking  a 
blessing  on  our  labors  in  the  far  west  of  Illinois. 

"At  Lima  J.  joined  us,  and  I  mounted  old  Cincin- 
natus, as  we  had  agreed  to  take  turns  in  riding  him. 
We  stayed  at  Mottville  that  night.  The  next  morning 
we  were  up  betimes,  and  rode  ten  miles  before  break- 


The  Robin's  Nest  277 

fast.  We  entered  Edwardsburg  about  noon  and  were 
received  very  kindly  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  S.,  where  we  in- 
tended spending  the  Sunday.  Father  preached  the 
next  day  to  a  large  congregation  of  attentive  hearers. 
Cincinnatus  was  here  found  to  be  so  lame  that  we 
could  ride  him  no  farther,  and  we  were  obliged  to  send 
him  back;  but  as  we  could  find  no  one  going  that  way, 
father  tied  a  bit  of  a  board  about  his  neck,  with,  as 
near  as  I  can  recollect,  these  words  upon  it :  'My  name 
is  Cincinnatus,  I  belong  to  P.  Chase,  Gilead,  Bishop 
of  Illinois.  I  am  eighteen  years  old,  and  somewhat 
lame.  Let  me  pass  on  to  Gilead,  where  I  shall  be  well 
taken  care  of  through  the  winter,  as  a  reward  for  my 
past  services.'  We  then  turned  him  out  to  seek  his 
fortune.  We  have  not  heard  from  him  since,  but  I 
have  no  doubt  he  went  directly  home. 

"At  La  Porte  father  was  taken  ill,  but  recovered  so 
as  to  be  able  to  ride  fifteen  miles  the  next  day,  and  put 
up  at  a  place  that  answered  very  well  the  description 
of  a  'hoosier's  nest '  which  P.  used  to  repeat.  The 
next  day  we  rode  forty  miles,  and  the  following  day 
found  ourselves  on  Grand  Prairie,  in  Illinois,  the  field 
of  our  dear  father's  future  labors. 

"We  are  now  under  the  hospitable  roof  of  Mr.  Han- 
ford,  a  good,  firm  churchman  as  he  is.  Since  I  have 
been  here  I  have  been  on  a  visit  to  Chicago  with  father 
and  mother  and  Henry.  We  were  there  three  days 
and  seldom  have  I  spent  my  time  more  pleasantly. 
We  stayed  at  the  house  of  Mr.  J.  H.  Kinzie.  He  and 
his  wife  were  absent,  but  the  rest  of  the  family  received 
us  very  kindly,  and  treated  us  very  well  all  the  time  we 
stayed. 

"On   Sunday  father  preached,   and   confirmed  two 


278  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

persons  and  administered  the  Sacrament  to  about 
twenty.  When  we  returned  we  found  Mr.  Hanford 
had  fitted  up  a  small  cabin  adjoining  his  own,  in  which 
we  could  live  and  feel  a  little  more  independent. 

"Father  and  mother  and  H.  have  all  gone  down  as 
far  as  Peoria  to  find  a  spot  to  place  the  college.  I 
hope  they  will  be  successful. 

"Your  affectionate  sister, 

"Mary." 

The  Bishop  soon  decided  where  to  place  his  new 
college.  The  country  was  so  entirely  new  that  he 
found  no  difficulty  in  pre-empting  land,  as  it  had  not 
yet  been  put  into  market  by  the  Government.  This 
was  done  in  the  fall  of  1836;  a  little  house  of  logs  was 
built,  or  rather  two  skeleton  log-houses  were  put  to- 
gether, which  was  called  the  "Robin's  Nest,  because 
it  was  built  of  mud  and  sticks  and  was  full  of  young 
ones." 

Lumber  of  the  poorest  kind  was  from  $40  to  $50  a 
thousand,  therefore  the  family  must  be  content  with 
the  little  cabin  for  the  time  being.  The  Bishop  says, 
"As  soon  as  the  Illinois  River  was  clear  of  ice  in  1837, 
I  began  my  travels  in  my  diocese."  We  will  follow 
him  for  a  time  upon  his  weary  journeyings  through 
the  spring  floods  and  across  the  wide  prairies. 

The  steamer  America,  going  up  the  stream  on  the 
Mississippi,  could  get  on  but  two  miles  an  hour.  The 
Bishop  travelled  sometimes  by  wagon  and  sometimes 
by  boat.  He  says,  "At  Mt.  Sterling,  theinn  at  which 
I  lodge  is  but  imperfectly  fitted  or  furnished,  so  that 
I  am  now  in  a  room  without  a  ceiling  and  without  a 
table.     I  am  writing  this  on  my  porte-folio  resting  on 


The  Robin's  Nest  279 

my  knee.  The  people  are  very  kind,  and  I  have  no 
reason  to  complain,  I  spent  yesterday  alone,  not  a 
soul  except  the  landlord  came  in  to  see  me.  I  had,  on 
my  first  coming,  given  out  that  I  would  preach,  and 
the  appointment  was  fulfilled  last  evening  at  the 
schoolhouse,  to  get  at  which  I  had  some  difficulty  on 
account  of  the  mud,  which  was  also  no  stranger  to  the 
floor  of  the  cold  and  lonely  building.  The  congrega- 
tion was  large  and  very  attentive,  and  I  hope  the 
Word  read  and  spoken  was  blessed. 

"A  carriage  being  sent  for  me  from  Quincy,  I  pro- 
ceeded on  the  23d  so  far  as  Clayton,  where  I  preached 
in  the  evening.  The  next  day  went  to  Quincy,  where 
I  was  received  most  kindly.  Through  the  goodness 
of  the  Presbyterian  and  Methodist  ministers  I  had  an 
opportunity  in  their  respective  places  of  worship  of 
addressing  large  and  crowded  assemblies,  and  of  ad- 
ministering the  Holy  Communion  and  rite  of  confirma- 
tion in  the  presence  of  many  who  had  never  before 
witnessed  these  services.  I  preached  twice,  baptized 
four  infants  and  one  adult,  confirmed  six  and  gave  the 
Holy  Communion  to  eighteen  members,  celebrated  the 
banns  of  matrimony,  and  in  the  intermission  superin- 
tended the  formation  of  the  parish  of  St.  John,  Quincy, 
and  the  appointment  of  lay  delegates  to  the  diocesan 
convention,  and  appointed  a  lay  reader, — all  in  one 
day." 

From  this  day's  work  resulted  a  serious  illness  for 
the  Bishop.  At  a  friend's  house  at  Monmouth,  War- 
ren County,  he  preached  twice,  having  the  full  service, 
morning  and  evening,  and  he  retired  to  rest  in  seeming 
health.  The  air  was  chill,  the  room  was  cold,  and  he 
awoke  in  great  agony.     After  two  days  he  obtained  a 


28o  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

conveyance  to  Knoxville,  twenty  miles  to  the  east. 
His  son  met  him  there,  but  had  left  the  covered  wagon 
behind  on  account  of  the  swollen  state  of  the  Spoon 
River;  so,  as  he  was  too  ill  to  ride  on  horseback,  a 
friend  sent  him  forward  in  a  wagon.  It  both  snowed 
and  rained,  but  when  they  arrived  at  the  river  the 
horses  were  driven  through;  and,  having  first  passed 
the  baggage  over  the  rapid  stream,  a  log  of  black  wal- 
nut with  the  bark  still  on,  hollowed  out  in  the  middle, 
the  whole  about  twelve  feet  long  and  just  wide  enough 
to  admit  the  Bishop  with  difficulty  amidships  on  a  wisp 
of  hay,  was  provided  for  his  transportation  across  the 
stream.     He  thus  tells  the  story : 

"As  the  man  at  the  stern  pushed  off  the  little  ark 
from  the  shore,  she  sank  with  my  weight  to  within  an 
inch  or  two  of  the  'gunnels.'  'Can  you  swim?'  said 
the  man.  'Like  a  duck,'  said  I;  'all  I  fear  is,  if  she 
turn  over  I  cannot  extricate  myself  from  my  squeezed 
position  on  the  log.'  It  was  now  that  I  experienced 
the  great  benefit  of  being  acquainted  in  my  early  years 
with  canoe  navigation ;  how  often  when  a  boy  on  the 
banks  of  the  Connecticut  have  I  swam  and  sported 
with  a  canoe  similar  to  that  in  which  I  was  here  placed, 
and  how  little  did  I  then  think  that  the  Hand  of  Provi- 
dence was  training  me  to  surmount  such  dangers  at  the 
advanced  age  of  sixty-two. ' ' 

With  much  difficulty  on  account  of  the  flood,  he 
finally  reached  his  home  in  safety.  These  and  many 
other  accidents  and  incidents  are  mentioned  in  various 
letters  and  in  his  journals,  too  numerous  and  long  to 
quote. 

Surely  the  old  Bishop  had  learned  to  feel  thankful- 
ness to  the  Giver  of  all  good  when  he  gratefully  re- 


The  Robin's  Nest  281 

ceived  a  present  of  "ruta-baga  seed"  from  a  prominent 
churchman,  and  sent  it  to  his  wife  and  bade  her  have 
it  sown  in  due  time  for  a  "crop  of  that  excellent  vege- 
table." He  was  also  greatly  pleased  with  the  gift  of 
a  dog,  "a  fine  animal  to  keep  off  the  wolves  at  Robin's 
Nest." 

These  were  indeed  "the  days  of  small  things." 


CHAPTER   XXXVI 

TRAVEL  AND    SERVICE 

THE  Bishop  speaks  in  this  year,  1837,  of  consecrat- 
ing a  church  in  Chicago,  which  he  describes  as  a 
neat,  brick  building,  already  furnished  with  a  bell  and 
an  organ,  and  goes  on  to  say,  "Oh,  that  we  had  clergy- 
men that  other  places  might  enjoy  like  benefits,  but 
our  Church  is  dying  in  the  West."  This  was  on  the 
25th  of  June.  The  Bishop  describes  it  "as  a  mild, 
serene  day;  the  moral  state  in  unison  with  the  natural 
world."  The  consecration  took  place  at  half-past  ten; 
the  church  was  filled  to  overflowing,  even  before  the 
Bishop  met  the  wardens  and  vestrymen  at  the  door. 
"A  breathless  stillness  was  observed  at  every  step  as 
the  procession  advanced  from  the  vestibule  to  the  altar, 
and  the  solemnity  of  the  divine  service  appointed  for 
the  occasion  was,  I  have  reason  to  believe,  deeply  felt." 
This  church  was  old  St.  James's.  The  Bishop  further 
speaks  of  the  kindness  of  his  friends  the  Kinzies,  and 
of  Mrs.  Magill  and  Mr.  Hallam,  of  his  journey  on 
Monday  through  the  smoky  blue  atmosphere  as  he 
drove  alone  back  toward  his  home  through  the  rich 
land,  settled  at  that  time  only  by  "squatter  law."  The 
journal  goes  on  to  tell  of  long  journeys  over  the  prairies 
to  find  a  few  of  those  who  had  once  known  the  Church ; 
holding  services   in  warehouses,    in   cabins,    in   black- 

2S2 


Travel  and  Service  283 

smiths'  shops,  in  barns ;  baptizing,  confirming  when 
possible;  preaching  and  administering  the  Holy  Com- 
munion; and  often  after  long  days*  journeys  holding 
service  at  "candle-lighting,"  if  due  notice  could  be 
given. 

The  Bishop's  son,  the  Rev.  Dudley  Chase,  writes  of 
an  adventure  which  occurred  at  this  time.  The  Bishop 
was  alone  in  his  covered  Quaker  wagon,  skirting  the 
Mississippi  River;  he  had  been  told  that  the  bayous 
were  fordable,  but  found  that  one  into  which  he 
plunged  fearlessly  was  overflowing  from  the  back-water 
of  the  great  river.  The  team  of  faithful  horses  swam 
until  they  reached  the  steep  bank,  but  could  not  pull 
up  the  wagon  until  the  water  gradually  drained  out  of 
the  light  body.  In  the  meantime,  the  Bishop,  wet  up 
to  the  arm-pits,  had  to  wait  in  patience.  The  precious 
trunk  was  first  examined,  containing  vestments,  cloth- 
ing, manuscripts,  sermons,  and  a  folio  prayer-book, 
bearing  this  imprint,  "Presented  to  Bishop  Chase  by 
the  New  York  Prayer  Book  Society,"  and  this  latter 
was  the  only  dry  article  in  that  trunk !  It  was  lifted 
up  into  the  close  air  in  the  top  of  the  trunk  and  was 
thus  saved  by,  or  out  of,  water  to  serve  many  a  long 
year  of  Episcopal  duty  in  Illinois,  till  it  and  the  Bishop 
were  both  worn  out. 

The  Bishop  writes  of  other  full  days:  "On  the  15th 
of  July,  crossed  over  the  Mississippi  and  preached  in 
the  village  of  Davenport,  Wisconsin  Territory.  The 
i6th,  Sunday,  nine  o'clock,  administered  the  Holy 
Communion  to  the  sick  Mr.  Phelps,  and  addressed  the 
Sunday  School;  appointed  a  lay  reader  in  Stevenson 
and  vicinity ;  a  parish  was  formed,  preached  and  had 
service;  at  three  crossed  the  river  Mississippi  a  second 


284  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

time  and  preached  in  the  Wisconsin  Territory.  The 
17th,  crossed  over  the  third  time  the  'Father  of 
Waters. '  With  these  three  villages,  Stevenson,  Daven- 
port, and  Rockingham,  my  mind  is  deeply  impressed. 
Why  may  not  religion  be  among  the  blessings  which 
they  may  enjoy?  when  for  worldly  interests  many  flock 
together  as  they  do  in  these  places,  should  not  Chris- 
tians go  with  them?  Let  pass  a  few  years  and  all  the 
busy  first  settlers  of  these  beautiful  places  will  be  in 
their  graves,  and  what  will  be  the  destiny  and  character 
of  those  who  will  occupy  their  places?  "  These  towns 
are  now  part  of  the  great  State  of  Iowa ;  at  that  time 
their  sole  missionary  was  an  old  man  driving  across 
the  wild  prairies  alone,  in  constant  danger,  often  in 
great  suffering,  with  not  a  soul  to  assist  him  in  his 
constant,  never-ending  work. 

On  the  1 8th  of  July  he  again  crossed  the  river,  this 
time  attended  by  a  friend  who  put  him  on  the  trail  for 
his  home,  a  distance  of  sixty  miles.  Here  the  notes 
of  his  journey  end  for  a  time,  for  at  Fraker's  Grove, 
driving  from  the  mouth  of  Rock  River  to  the  Robin's 
Nest,  he  met  with  a  most  painful  accident.  Two  ribs 
were  broken  in  tumbling  down  a  precipice  into  the  mud 
and  water  below.  Much  time  was  consumed  and  great 
pain  was  endured  in  extricating  himself  from  his 
dangerous  position.  It  seemed  impossible  to  get  the 
carriage  up  without  help ;  the  road  was  a  mere  trail, 
no  one  might  be  expected  to  pass  on  it  for  days  to 
come,  and  his  wounds  forbade  the  idea  of  walking  on 
to  the  next  settlement  for  help. 

Words,  therefore,  cannot  describe  his  gratitude  when, 
after  prolonged  and  painful  efforts,  he  finally  found 
himself  in  his  carriage  going  home.     The  pain  in  driv- 


Travel  and  Service  285 

ing  increased  as  the  horses  went  on,  and  nothing  served 
to  mitigate  it  but  pressing  the  hand  on  the  wounded 
side;  yet  this  could  only  be  done  intermittently,  as  he 
had  to  guide  the  horses  in  risky  places.  A  log-cabin 
finally  came  in  sight,  the  horses  stopped,  the  man  of 
the  house  was  standing  by  the  little  gate  which  led  to 
the  door,  and  the  Bishop  asked  him  to  drive  his  horses 
for  him  to  the  Robin's  Nest,  making  known  his  wounds, 
and  offering  a  reward  for  his  time  and  trouble.  To 
this,  the  man  replied,  "No!  "  The  reasons  for  asking 
the  favor  were  then  given  more  at  large ;  the  distance 
was  only  thirty  miles ;  he  had  great  need  of  getting  to 
his  home  for  medical  assistance ;  and  he  asked  the  man 
"for  God's  sake  "  to  go  with  him  and  receive  a  liberal 
reward.  The  man  turned  away  and  walked  to  the  door 
of  the  cabin,  where  the  Bishop  caught  a  glimpse  of  a 
woman  partly  behind  the  door,  apparently  listening  to 
what  he  said.  Soon  after  the  Bishop  drove  off  on  the 
way  to  the  Robin's  Nest.  A  quarter  of  a  mile  had  been 
passed  over,  when  a  voice  was  heard  from  behind,  say- 
ing "Stop,  stop  !  "  A  second  and  a  third  time  the  call 
was  repeated.  Not  being  able  to  turn  and  look  back, 
he  stopped  his  horses  to  await  the  issue.  The  man 
then  made  his  appearance,  almost  breathless.  "If  you 
will  wait  a  few  minutes,"  said  he,  "until  I  can  change 
my  working  clothes,  I  will  come  and  drive  your  horses 
to  Robin's  Nest."  "And  what  has  changed  your  mind 
on  this  subject?  You  were  so  averse,  and  now  seem 
so  willing  to  do  me  this  favor."  "Why,  sir,"  he  re- 
plied, "did  n't  you  see  my  woman  in  the  door  when  I 
refused  to  go  with  you?"  "Yes,  if  it  were  she  who 
stood  partly  hidden  in  the  cabin  door; — was  she  your 
wife?"     "Yes,  sir,  and  I  had  no  sooner  come  in  but 


286  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

she  made  my  house  too  hot  for  me  by  her  complaints 
of  my  cruel  behavior  to  you,  in  refusing  your  request 
to  go  with  you  to  Robin's  Nest." 

The  Bishop  says,  after  his  return  and  when  he  had 
suflficiently  recovered  :  "To-morrow  I  must  go  to  work, 
not  in  the  spiritual  but  temporal  field  ;  none  of  the  corn 
is  gathered,  none  of  the  potatoes,  and  there  are  a  thou- 
sand bushels  of  turnips."  The  rutabaga  seed  before 
spoken  of  had  proven  a  bonanza  to  the  Bishop  as  well 
as  to  many  of  his  neighbors.  He  could  scarcely  afford 
the  money  to  get  his  immense  crop  harvested,  when, 
to  crown  the  motto  of  his  faith,  there  came  a  legacy  of 
two  hundred  dollars,  which  enabled  him  to  harvest  his 
crop,  beside  giving  much  of  it  to  his  neighbors. 


CHAPTER   XXXVII 

THE   NEW   COLLEGE 

THERE  were  many  delays  in  purchasing  and  paying 
for  the  land  for  the  new  college,  owing  to  the 
swarm  of  speculators  who  had  bought  up  so  much  of 
it  to  hold  for  an  advance  in  price.  On  the  5th  of 
December,  1838,  the  Bishop  says  in  a  letter  to  Lord 
Kenyon,  "I  am  happy  to  say  that  I  have  now  pur- 
chased 2500  acres  of  land,  also  720  acres  previously 
entered,  for  the  benefit  of  the  institution  which  I  am 
now  founding  in  Peoria  County,  Illinois.  The  college 
site  is  remarkable  for  its  health  and  beauty ;  it  is  high, 
commanding  a  cheering  and  varied  prospect  up  and 
down  a  beautiful  stream ;  it  looks  to  the  south  and  has 
a  fine  grove  of  trees,  which  shield  it  from  the  north 
and  west  winds  in  the  winter,  and  will  make  it 
pleasant  in  the  summer.  The  farm  lands  will,  I 
trust,  be  soon  fenced  and  put  under  cultivation,  which 
effected,  will  produce  a  revenue  for  the  support  of 
the  institution  in  future  times.  My  dependence  is 
simply  and  solely  on  the  promises  and  providence  of 
Almighty  God ;  if  you  ask  me  why  I  call  my  Illinois 
institution  'Jubilee  College,'  I  answer,  that  name  of  all 
others  suits  my  feelings  and  circumstances.  I  wish  to 
give  thanks  and  rejoice  that,  after  seven  years  passed 
in  much  trouble,  pain,  and  moral  servitude,  God  hath 

2S7 


288  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

permitted  me  for  Jesus'  sake  to  return  unto  His  gra- 
cious favor.  In  September,  1831,  I  left  those  dear 
places  by  me  named  Gambier  Hill  and  Kenyon  Col- 
lege; in  1838,  precisely  in  the  same  month  and  the 
same  day  of  the  month  I  can  blow  the  trumpet  in  Zion 
for  joy  that  another  school  of  the  prophets,  more  than 
five  hundred  miles  still  further  toward  the  setting  sun, 
is  founded  to  the  glory  of  the  Great  Redeemer." 

Mrs.  Chase  and  her  daughter  returned  from  a  visit 
with  friends  at  the  East,  and  soon  after  the  former  was 
stricken  with  a  dangerous  illness ;  but  upon  her  re- 
covery not  more  for  her  than  for  her  husband  was 
there  to  be  a  time  for  folding  the  hands.  The  year 
was  far  spent,  and  there  was  no  money  to  go  on  with 
the  work.  There  were  strong  reasons  why  the  Bishop 
must  appeal  to  the  whole  Church,  or  it  must  stop.  He 
was  urged  by  a  friend  to  seek  for  aid  at  the  South ; 
therefore,  without  an  hour's  delay,  this  plan  was 
adopted.  Without  detailing  the  long  story  of  his 
travels  south  and  his  stay  in  New  Orleans  among  his 
old  friends,  and  also  among  the  rich  planters  in  Missis- 
sippi in  and  about  Natchez,  where  he  met  many  of  his 
old  pupils,  we  will  go  on  to  the  time  when  he  was  ready 
to  sail  for  Charleston,  on  Saturday  the  8th  of  February, 
1839.  -^^  bade  good-bye  to  his  family  in  these  words, 
by  a  letter  written  at  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi  just 
before  sailing : 

"Although  the  weather  is  quite  foggy,  yet  the  breeze 
is  favorable ;  it  is  now  noon  and  the  captain  is  expected 
soon  to  hoist  sail  and  be  off  into  the  great  deep.  I 
pray  for  resignation  to  the  Divine  Will;  my  thoughts 
are  much  on  God, — on  my  own  unworthiness  in  His 
sight  and  on  the  infinite  mercies  of  our  Saviour.     When 


The  New  College  289 

I  turn  them  on  you  and  the  dear  ones  at  home,  my 
eyes  fill  with  tears.  If  you  hear  from  me  no  more,  re- 
member my  last  word  and  thought  will  be  moulded  in 
the  form  of  devout  prayer  for  the  blessings  of  Divine 
grace  on  you,  on  Dudley,  Henry,  Mary,  Philander,  on 
Lucia,  Samuel,  Sarah,  and  their  dear  children,  and  on 
the  Radleys, — on  all  these  and  on  my  dear  grandchil- 
dren and  brothers  and  sisters,  and  all  friends,  and  on 
my  beloved  diocese.  Unto  all  these  O  Lord,  be  gra- 
cious, and  my  foes  forgive,  for  Jesus'  sake,  Amen." 

The  Bishop  arrived  in  Charleston  the  19th  of  Feb- 
ruary, 1840,  one  month  later.  Here  he  had  a  sad 
pleasure  in  meeting  the  lady  who  ministered  to  the 
comfort  of  his  beloved  son  Philander  in  his  last  illness. 

In  Charleston  he  met  with  distinguished  success  in 
his  great  object;  going  to  Baltimore,  Washington,  and 
New  York,  he  was  received  with  great  kindness  and 
liberality.  He  filled  the  Milnor  professorship  for 
Jubilee  College;  and  at  New  York  Jubilee  Chapel  was 
presented  with  a  fine  organ  by  Mr.  Henry  Erben. 

It  is  seldom  that  the  simple  circumstance  of  having 
an  unknown  first  cousin  leads  to  such  pleasant  results 
as  the  following:  It  seems  that  the  mother  of  the 
famous  novelist,  Captain  Marryat,  was  a  first  cousin  of 
Mrs.  Chase ;  having  heard  of  Bishop  Chase  in  England, 
and  learning  after  his  return  to  America  of  her  relation- 
ship to  his  wife,  she  and  her  daughter  sent  a  personal 
gift  of  seventy  pounds  sterling  for  the  comfort  of  their 
relative,  with  which  a  new  Quaker  coach  and  two  fine 
horses  were  purchased  and  sent  to  Illinois  from  Phila- 
delphia, and  without  which  Mrs.  Chase  would  have 
been  unable  to  go  far  beyond  the  porch  of  the  Robin's 
Nest,  even  to  worship  in  Jubilee  Chapel,  a  mile  away; 


290  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

for  the  old  Quaker  coach,  after  journeying  through 
flood  and  field,  was  a  wreck,  tumbling  to  pieces  all  at 
once,  after  the  fashion  of  the  "deacon's  one  hoss  shay." 

Under  date  of  July,  1840,  Mrs.  Annie  Tyndale,  of 
Holton  Rectory,  writes  as  follows  to  Mrs.  Chase: 
"Two  days  ago  I  received  a  letter  from  a  dear  friend 
who  will  not  allow  his  name  to  be  mentioned,  saying 
that  he  had  ordered  fifty  pounds  for  himself  and 
twenty-five  for  his  daughter  to  be  paid  to  the  account 
of  Bishop  Chase.  It  is  entered  as  coming  from  a  friend 
of  mine;  I  hope  to  make  up  the  hundred  pounds,  and 
then,  dear  madame,  I  wish  to  commit  this  sum  espe- 
cially to  your  care ;  it  is  given  to  cheer  the  heart  of  the 
dear  Bishop,  to  encourage  him  in  his  work,  for  the 
heart  can  never  be  cheerful  if  he  sees  you  oppressed 
with  toil  and  care.  This  money  must  not  go  for  any 
ornamental  work  for  college  or  chapel,  nor  for  any  ex- 
tension of  the  building;  it  must  go  to  relieve  your 
mind  from  cares  that  I  am  sure  have  already  come  upon 
you,  and  from  exertions  which  are  too  much  for  your 
strength." 

This  was  indeed  too  true ;  and  it  was  by  this  gener- 
ous gift  that  the  Robin's  Nest  had  been  made  fairly 
comfortable  when  the  Bishop  returned  from  his  year's 
journey,  in  November,  1840. 


CHAPTER   XXXVIII 

A  JOURNEY   WEST   IN    184O 

RETURNING  from  the  South  in  the  summer  of 
1840,  the  Bishop  took  occasion  to  visit  his  friends 
in  Vermont.  As  his  stay  was  to  be  short,  there  was 
a  gathering  of  the  clans  from  Randolph  to  Royalton, 
twelve  miles  distant.  Service  was  to  be  held  at  old 
Christ  Church  in  Bethel,  near  the  house  of  Simon 
Chase  and  not  far  from  that  of  Allace  Chase  Cotton, 
and  also  of  Asa,  son  of  Benjamin  Chase  and  Lois 
Chase  Smith.  Rachel  Chase  Denison  and  her  numer- 
ous family  lived  at  Royalton.  The  descendants  of 
Mercy  Chase  Childs  at  Bethel-Gilead  and  Bethel 
proper,  Dudley  Chase,  and  some  of  the  family  of  Abi- 
gail Chase  Morse  from  Randolph, — all  of  these,  besides 
the  Bishop's  own  grandchildren  and  their  mother,  with 
cousins  of  the  second  generation,  were  present.  ' '  Tom" 
Russell,  now  an  eminent  surgeon  at  Oshkosh,  Wiscon- 
sin, was  sent  out  to  notify  the  friends  that  Bishop 
Chase  had  arrived  and  would  ofificiate  in  the  old  church 
on  Sunday;  which  he  did,  driving  in  a  gig  at  great 
speed,  and  giving  the  notice  in  a  voice  that  carried  far. 
The  memory  of  that  service  is  still  held  in  the  hearts 
of  the  two  or  three  persons  now  living  who  were 
present. 

As  a  matter  of  course  the  Bishop's  first  visits  were 

29X 


292  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

made  to  his  sisters  and  brothers.  When  he  finally 
came  to  the  house  of  his  widowed  daughter-in-law,  who 
had  prepared  a  tempting  meal  of  typical  New  England 
viands,  "light  biscuits"  and  honey,  "lucent  syrups 
tinct  with  cinnamon"  and  cakes  of  supernal  excellence, 
his  young  granddaughter  Laura  was  awed  into  silence 
by  his  great  height  and  size  and  his  dark  piercing  eyes, 
especially  when  he  put  his  first  question  to  her,  "Can 
you  work  a  button-hole?"  delivered  in  a  sonorous 
voice  and  what  seemed  to  her  an  almost  threatening 
tone.  As  she  dared  not  answer  "No,"  could  not  say 
"Yes,"  and  had  a  great  horror  of  telling  a  lie,  she  re- 
mained silent,  and  took  it  for  granted  that  her  awesome 
grandfather  had  mentally  consigned  her  to  some 
limbo  inhabited  only  by  "shiftless  "  girls. 

However,  he  had  really  taken  a  liking  to  her,  and 
after  his  visit  was  over  and  he  had  gone  up  the  two- 
mile  hill  to  Randolph  Centre  to  visit  Dudley  Chase, 
her  mother  was  surprised  to  receive  a  note  from  him 
announcing  that  he  was  to  leave  on  the  22d  of  August, 
and  should  take  his  youngest  grandchild  with  him. 

This  was  a  shock  to  her,  but  not  to  the  child,  who 
had  often  dreamed,  as  children  will,  of  the  delights  of 
travel.  Moreover,  she  had  begun  to  love  and  rever- 
ence her  grandfather ;  she  enjoyed  his  society ;  it  was 
unique  and  delightful  beyond  that  of  any  being  she 
had  ever  seen ;  there  was  something  in  it  that  inspired 
all  the  reverence  of  her  awakening  soul.  He  drew  her 
to  him  from  the  first  with  the  love  of  a  child  for  a 
father, — the  stronger  perhaps  because  she  had  no  recol- 
lection of  her  own  father. 

Moreover,  her  idea  of  the  unknown  was  tinged  with 
golden    rays.       The   boundless    prairies   with   waving 


A  Journey  West  in   1840  293 

grass,  dotted  with  strange,  beautiful  flowers  and  like 
the  sea  in  size, — the  great  blue  lakes  which  she  would 
sail  over, — wondrous  Niagara,  magnified  a  thousand- 
fold by  her  imagination, — steamboats,  even  railroads, 
she  might  see !  And  New  York  City,  which  her  Malta 
Brun  and  Peter  Parley  had  described, — what  rapture  to 
see  that  with  her  own  eyes !  Riding  in  a  stage-coach 
in  summer  days,  could  anything  be  more  charming! 
All  these  were  to  be  hers;  they  would  be  a  part  of  her 
always. 

Due  preparation  for  the  journey  having  been  made, 
she  joined  the  Bishop  at  her  Aunt  Denison's  in  Royal- 
ton,  whose  house  embowered  with  fine  old  trees  still 
stands,  outwardly  the  same  though  all  of  its  then  in- 
mates have  long  since  passed  into  the  unknown  land, 
save  one,  "the  last  leaf  on  the  family  tree."  Here 
they  spent  the  night. 

The  next  morning  dawned  gloriously  for  the  be- 
ginning of  what  in  those  days  was  looked  upon  as  a 
long  and  difficult  journey ;  some  details  of  which  are 
given  to  show  how  much  the  circumstances  and  con- 
ditions of  travel  in  our  country  have  changed  since 
then. 

They  began  their  journey  by  taking  the  stage-coach 
to  Concord,  New  Hampshire.  The  vehicle  was  com- 
fortable and  the  horses  swift.  White  River  sparkled 
in  the  sunshine  as  it  rippled  on  to  the  Connecticut ;  the 
hills  were  green  and  the  open  country  beautiful.  They 
spent  the  night  at  the  house  of  a  relative  in  the  quaint 
old  town  of  Salisbury,  then  went  on  to  Hopkinton, 
where  lived  Baruch  Chase  in  a  beautiful  old-fashioned 
house. 

The    next    day    brought    them    to    Concord,   which 


294  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

seemed  like  a  city  of  great  splendor  and  magnitude  to 
the  little  country  girl.  They  visited  at  Mrs.  Whipple's, 
— the  Bishop's  niece,  a  sister  of  Salmon  P.  Chase. 

From  Concord  they  again  took  the  stage-coach,  and 
again  the  sunshine  and  sweet  summer  air  "atop"  of 
the  coach  made  the  outside  more  desirable  than  the 
inside,  and  time  went  on  swift  wings  until  they  stopped 
at  the  door  of  Dr.  Edson's  house  in  Lowell.  Here 
Laura  first  saw  and  rode  in  a  train  of  cars,  and  thought 
it  not  so  very  wonderful  after  all,  as  it  did  not  fly 
through  the  air  as  she  expected. 

They  arrived  in  Boston  on  the  following  day,  and 
went  over  rough  pavements  to  the  home  of  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Stone,  rector  of  Trinity  Church,  where  they  were 
hospitably  entertained  for  some  days.  They  went 
driving  through  the  beautiful  suburbs  of  Boston, 
and  visited  Longfellow's  home  (Washington's  head- 
quarters). These  suburbs,  even  then,  were  very  beau- 
tiful, and  seemed  to  Laura  like  Paradise,^ — so  clean, 
green,  and  with  such  lovely  homes.  Children  were 
playing  among  the  vines  and  roses,  and  what  happy 
little  girls  they  were  to  live  in  such  pleasant  places ! 

The  Bishop  took  her  next  morning  to  see  Mrs. 
Chase's  sisters,  who  lived  in  a  great  old  country  home, 
a  few  miles  from  the  city  of  New  Bedford,  then  the 
centre  of  the  whale  fisheries.  The  railroad  from  Bos- 
ton to  New  Bedford  had  just  been  completed. 

From  Boston  they  went  to  Springfield  by  rail,  and 
thence  to  Hartford,  Connecticut,  by  coach.  In  this 
city,  where  the  Bishop  and  his  family  had  spent  their 
happiest  days,  he  was  welcomed  with  great  kindness ; 
especially  were  his  old  parishioners  rejoiced  to  see  him. 
Many    of   them  were   still  living, —  among  them   the 


A  Journey  West  in   1840  295 

Sigourneys,  Beaches,  Tudors,  and  Imlays.  The  church 
was  the  second  edifice  of  Christ  Church — not  the  old 
one,  of  which  the  Bishop  was  once  the  rector. 

From  Hartford  to  New  Haven  they  went  by  rail, 
and  stayed  at  the  rectory-home  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Harry 
Croswell.  This  being  the  city  where  Laura's  father 
was  in  college,  and  where  he  graduated  from  Yale  at 
the  age  of  eighteen  or  nineteen,  she  wondered  if  he 
knew  that  his  little  girl  was  now  near  the  spot  where 
he  spent  some  years  of  his  happy  young  life. 

The  Bishop,  notwithstanding  his  many  cares  and 
engagements,  found  time  to  show  his  grandchild  some 
of  the  attractions  of  the  city ;  but  their  stay  was  neces- 
sarily short,  and  they  soon  took  the  steamboat  for 
New  York,  whence  they  went  immediately  to  Brooklyn 
and  were  pleasantly  entertained  at  the  home  of  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Cutler,  rector  of  St.  Anne's  Church,  which 
was  even  then  a  large  church  and  filled  to  overflowing 
on  Sunday  with  a  devout  congregation.  The  visit 
here  lasted  for  some  weeks,  the  Bishop  being  occupied 
with  matters  connected  with  his  college,  while  Laura 
was  kindly  cared  for  by  her  hostess,  and  made  ac- 
quainted with  various  young  people.  Among  them 
was  a  little  lad  of  ten  who  had  just  suffered  the  ampu- 
tation of  a  leg.  Nearly  thirty  years  after,  in  a  church 
in  Mount  Vernon,  Ohio,  she  observed  that  the  officiat- 
ing clergyman  was  lame,  and  he  proved  to  be  the  same 
boy  that  she  had  met  so  long  ago,  now  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Peet. 

At  a  party  at  the  Peets',  Laura  ate  ice-cream  for  the 
first  time,  and  on  a  hot  night.  How  this  anachronism 
could  occur  was  a  mystery  to  her! 

In  the  course  of  the  visit  she  was  taken  across  Fulton 


296  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

Ferry  to  Barnum's  Museum  and  Stewart's  great  store 
in  New  York,  also  to  the  commencement  exercises  of 
Columbia  College  in  St.  John's  Church.  Another  trip 
was  to  Greenwood,  just  made  ready  for  the  great  city 
to  bury  its  dead. 

The  first  Daguerrean  studio  was  opened  in  the  city 
that  year;  the  pictures  were  mere  shadows  against  a 
gray  background.  Photographs  had  not  been  so  much 
as  thought  of. 

Pigs  acted  as  scavengers  in  lower  New  York,  that  is, 
below  City  Hall  Park;  and  the  water  system  was  quite 
inefficient.  Pumps  at  the  street  corners  supplied 
drinking  water,  and  nearly  every  house  had  a  rain- 
water cistern. 

The  travellers  left  New  York  some  time  in  October 
and  went  by  steamboat  to  Albany,  where  they  stayed 
for  a  short  time  with  the  Rev.  Dr.  Horatio  Potter, 
then  the  rector  of  St.  Peter's  Church,  and  afterward 
Bishop  of  the  diocese  of  New  York.  The  stately  and 
somewhat  cold  manners  of  the  reverend  gentleman  and 
the  silence  of  the  lady,  his  wife,  had  rather  a  chilling 
effect  upon  the  little  Laura. 

The  next  stage  of  the  journey  was  to  Schenectady 
by  rail.  The  cars  were  somewhat  like  the  poorer  cars 
abroad,  divided  into  sections,  with  leathern-finished 
seats,  each  of  which  was  meant  to  accommodate  three 
persons.  The  conductor  clambered  outside.  "Strap" 
rails  only  were  used.  The  quaint  Dutch  houses  and 
high  stoops  of  the  early  settlers  on  the  Mohawk  were 
still  in  evidence  at  Schenectady ;  where  they  were  en- 
tertained over  Sunday,  and  the  Bishop  preached. 
The  text  of  his  sermon  and  his  manner  as  he  gave  it 
are  still  vivid   in   the  child's  memory:  "My  peace  I 


A  Journey  West  in   1840  297 

leave  with  you,  my  peace  I  give  unto  you ;  not  as  the 
world  giveth  give  I  unto  you."  Here  they  met  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Alonzo  Potter,  afterwards  Bishop  of  Penn- 
sylvania, also  the  Rev.  Dr.  Nott,  both  of  Union 
College. 

They  journeyed  on  to  Syracuse  by  train,  but  there 
the  railroad  ended  and  they  embarked  on  the  "raging 
canal."  The  little  cabin,  from  which  one  could  look 
out  into  the  sunshine  through  the  still  smaller  cabin 
where  the  stewardess  sat  sewing  on  a  new  calico  gown, 
seemed  very  cosy  and  homelike  to  Laura.  When 
night  came  and  the  chintz  curtains  were  drawn  between 
the  two  cabins,  it  was  fun  to  climb  into  the  narrow 
berth  highest  up,  and  to  hear  the  thumping  on  the 
floor  above  when  the  boat  was  taken  through  the  locks. 
The  view  from  the  deck  by  daylight,  as  the  boat  glided 
slowly  through  meadows  and  farms  and  pretty  villages, 
was  always  delightful,  except  when  the  warning  cry 
"Down  bridge!  "  was  heard;  then  she  suffered  spasms 
of  fear  lest  her  grandfather,  on  account  of  his  great 
size,  should  be  hurt  in  passing  under  some  one  of  the 
low  bridges.  He  attracted  attention  even  from  people 
on  passing  canal  boats,  who  often  spoke  laughingly  and 
good  naturedly  of  his  heroic  proportions. 

There  were  many  people  on  board,  and  the  meals 
were  prepared  in  a  tiny  kitchen,  with  marvellous  results, 
at  least  as  to  quantity.  Tables  were  spread  through 
both  cabins,  and  the  passengers  made  themselves  as 
small  as  possible  in  the  narrow  space. 

A  night  was  spent  at  Buffalo,  and  the  travellers  went 
to  Niagara  by  the  horse  railway,  on  which,  as  Laura 
had  learned  from  her  friend,  Peter  Parley,  "cars  could 
be  run  at  the  rate  of  twelve  miles  an  hour."     On  the 


298  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

steamer  Erie,  which  was  afterward  burned  on  the  lake 
with  great  loss  of  life,  they  spent  a  day  and  a  night, 
but  stopped  over  Sunday  in  Detroit,  then  an  important 
frontier  town,  deep  in  mud ;  the  ladies  going  about  in 
little  one-horse  carts  like  drays.  They  were  covered 
with  fur  robes,  and  all  sat  on  the  floor, — a  very  good 
way  of  getting  about  when  carriages  could  not  be  used. 
The  travellers  went  to  church  in  this  way  from  Bishop 
McCoskry's  house.  He  was  then  a  fine,  handsome 
young  man. 

In  another  day  or  two  they  were  on  board  the 
steamer  National,  a  high-pressure  boat — which  means 
that  her  loud  puffing  could  be  heard  for  miles.  So 
they  passed  into  Lake  St.  Clair  on  a  pleasant  day. 
Now  as  then,  a  more  lovely  scene  can  scarcely  be  found 
in  this  country. 

As  the  boat  neared  Saginaw  Bay  a  great  storm  arose, 
and  the  captain  prudently  sought  shelter  within  the 
little  harbor,  where  for  two  or  three  days  the  people 
on  board  could  see  the  surf  madly  rushing  past  outside 
their  haven  of  refuge,  the  shore  of  which  was  bor- 
dered with  gloomy  forest  evergreens.  Meantime  their 
daily  fare  was  reduced  to  boiled  salt  beef  and  potatoes, 
with  a  dessert  of  Newtown  pippins, — very  good  as  far 
as  they  went.  The  storm  at  last  abated,  and  they 
arrived  in  Mackinaw  just  in  time  to  see  the  Indians 
assembled  in  all  their  splendor  of  paint  and  feathers, 
to  get  their  yearly  payment  from  the  Government. 
They  were  busy  in  spending  the  money  just  received 
from  that  source.  Laura  had  read  enough  of  Fenimore 
Cooper  to  invest  the  savages  with  romantic  interest, 
but  it  was  much  dampened  by  what  she  saw  on  that 
day.     Commodore   Stewart   had   charge   of  the  fort. 


A  Journey  West  In   1840  299 

Mackinaw  was  then,  and  is  now,  a  most  interesting 
place  to  visit. 

When  the  time  came  for  the  Green  Bay  passengers 
to  leave,  it  was  a  very  rough  night.  A  little  schooner 
lay  tossing  on  the  waves  to  receive  them.  The  moon 
shone  but  fitfully  through  the  clouds,  and  very  difficult 
it  was  for  the  women  and  children  to  leave  the  steamer 
and  board  the  vessel  without  capsizing  the  small  boats. 

The  next  day,  after  passing  the  "Sleeping  Bear," 
they  stopped  at  Milwaukee,  in  Wisconsin  Territory, — 
that  is,  they  lay  to  at  some  distance  from  a  few  little 
houses  on  the  banks  of  Lake  Michigan,  while  the 
wood  of  which  they  were  in  need  was  brought  from 
the  shore  in  boats. 

They  arrived  in  Chicago,  the  "uncrowned  Queen  of 
the  unsalted  seas,"  on  the  2d  of  November,  and  a 
more  miserably  dreary  place  is  seldom  seen.  A  cold, 
bleak  wind  from  off  the  lake  swept  over  the  swampy 
south  side;  and  away  beyond  stretched  the  boundless 
prairie,  where  all  was  brown  and  sere,  and  not  a  tree 
in  sight.  Here  a  few  houses  stood  in  the  half-frozen 
mud.  On  the  north  side,  John  Kinzie,  the  great 
Chicago  pioneer,  had  a  comfortable  home.  The  stay 
here  was  short,  only  long  enough  for  the  Bishop's 
kindly  forethought  to  provide  his  grandchild  with 
whatever  she  needed  for  a  comfortable  journey  over 
the  prairies;  and  also  to  charter  a  Concord  coach  to 
take  the  party  to  the  head  waters  of  the  Illinois  River, 
— which  he  did  in  conjunction  with  two  gentlemen 
who,  with  their  wives  and  a  servant,  were  en  route 
for  St.  Louis.  The  party  started  immediately,  for 
there  was  no  time  to  lose.  For  many  miles  of  the 
journey  not  a  dwelling  was  to  be  seen.     Night  came 


300  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

on,  and  at  last  they  found  a  solitary  cabin  of  two 
rooms.  Here  the  poor,  hard-worked  woman  managed 
to  get  something  to  eat  for  the  hungry  travellers,  and 
made  them  as  comfortable  as  she  could  for  the  night. 
The  two  ladies  had  one  bed ;  the  gentlemen  slept  in 
the  coach;  and  Laura  slept  on  the  floor,  which  youth 
and  health  made  restful  enough. 

The  next  day  brought  them  to  the  river,  and  on  a 
rickety  old  steamer  they  arrived  at  Peoria  some  time 
in  the  night,  where,  shivering,  they  went  to  bed.  The 
next  morning  the  Bishop  and  Laura  took  a  carriage 
for  their  goal,  Robin's  Nest,  which  he  had  not  seen 
for  a  year.  On  the  way  they  met  the  third  Philander, 
only  three  years  older  than  Laura,  who  soon  became  to 
her  as  dear  as  a  brother,  though  their  actual  relation- 
ship was  that  of  uncle  and  niece. 

Robin's  Nest  then  consisted  of  a  central  log-cabin, 
which  contained  a  kitchen,  two  small  bedrooms,  and 
a  little  dark  room  filled  with  books,  also  a  dining  or 
living  room,  which  a  glowing  coal  fire,  a  bright  carpet, 
and  a  wide  lounge  covered  with  a  great  wolf-skin  made 
very  cheerful  and  comfortable.  On  either  side  were 
books  to  the  ceiling.  At  each  end  of  the  house  was 
a  little  frame  room,  one  of  which  was  the  Bishop's 
study  and  sleeping-room,  and  the  other  had  been  made 
by  his  son  Dudley,  with  his  own  hands,  for  the  recep- 
tion of  his  prospective  bride. 

The  Bishop's  family  then  consisted  of  his  wife,  his 
two  sons,  and  one  daughter — Henry  Ingraham,  Phi- 
lander, and  Mary.  The  meeting  of  the  father  and 
family,  after  his  year  of  absence,  was  a  joyful  one. 

Few  now  living  in  the  rich  and  powerful  State  of  Illi- 
nois can  imagine  the  deprivation,  isolation,  and  loneli- 


BISHOP  AND  MRS.   CHASE   IN   1847.       Pac 


A  Journey  West  in   1840  301 

ness  of  its  early  settlers.  There  was  little  to  make  life 
comfortable  and  bright  to  the  elders,  or  to  enliven  and 
educate  the  young.  To  keep  house  under  such  circum- 
stances was  a  continual  toil ;  there  were  no  conveniences, 
few  comforts,  and  no  near  neighbors.  Almost  every- 
thing was  wanting  save  courage,  hope,  and  duty. 

It  is  not  surprising  that  at  first  a  dark  cloud  of  home- 
sickness settled  over  the  newcomer,  Laura,  to  whom 
these  relatives  were  utter  strangers.  Happily,  it  was 
transient.  The  Indian  summer  soon  tinged  the  whole 
world  with  golden  light  and  warmth ;  and  when  her 
young  uncle  found  that  she  could  ride,  even  without  a 
saddle,  that  was  both  an  unfailing  resource  and  a  bond 
of  union.  By  and  by  Mrs,  Chase's  brother  Ingraham 
came  from  New  Jersey  with  five  daughters  and  four 
sons,  and  found  shelter  in  a  house  lately  built  by  an 
eccentric  Englishman,  Meantime,  Mr.  Dudley  Chase 
returned  from  the  East  with  his  bride,  who  had  been 
Miss  Sarah  Griffith  Wells,  the  daughter  of  Mr.  Bezaleel 
Wells,  of  Ohio ;  and  the  place  ceased  to  be  lonely. 

A  chapel  and  schoolroom  had  been  built  on  Jubilee 
Hill,  one  mile  from  the  Robin's  Nest.  The  Rev. 
Samuel  Chase,  a  distant  relative,  and  his  family  lived 
in  a  small  house  in  the  rear.  A  dormitory  extended 
over  the  schoolroom,  from  which  a  balcony  looked 
down  upon  the  chapel.  This  was  intended  for  the 
pupils  of  the  girls'  school  that  was  to  be;  which  at 
present  consisted  of  Laura  and  her  young  aunt,  Mary 
Chase. 

The  boys'  school  grew  apace,  notwithstanding  the 
sparsely  settled  vicinity ;  and  it  was  not  long  before 
the  Rev.  Mr.  S.  Chase  had  his  hands  full.  There  was 
a  boarding-house  for  them  near  by. 


302  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

Thus  the  winter  was  spent,  a  busy  one  for  all,  and 
especially  for  the  Bishop,  whose  time  was  crowded 
with  urgent  cares  and  labors.  Then  the  beautiful 
spring  came  and  brought  the  wild  flowers;  and  the 
prairie-chickens  could  be  heard  from  far  away,  and  the 
plovers  and  pigeons  flew  in  great  flocks,  and  the  wild 
crab-apples  sent  out  their  fragrance  from  rose-pink 
buds;  and  everything  burst  into  beauty. 

By  this  time  the  new  organ  was  sent  from  New  York, 
and  the  services  became  delightful.  Several  agreeable 
English  families  came  regularly  from  distant  settle- 
ments to  the  chapel  services,  and  occasionally  pleasant 
people  called.  A  little  social  life  trickled  into  the  nar- 
row circle  on  Jubilee  Hill.  A  store  was  also  started, 
which  was  a  great  convenience. 

In  June  the  Diocesan  Convention  met  in  Jubilee 
Chapel,  and  was  well  attended. 

With  the  coming  of  midsummer  the  Bishop  deter- 
mined that  it  was  necessary  to  go  East  again ;  and  as 
Laura  had  been  summoned  home  she  enjoyed  another 
long  journey  in  his  company.  One  hot  summer's  day 
good-bye  was  said  to  Jubilee  Hill,  and  a  large  party 
set  out  in  carriages  and  wagons  for  Chicago,  changing 
in  due  time  for  the  public  conveyance.  The  town  had 
grown  enormously  in  a  year;  stores  and  comparatively 
large  hotels  had  sprung  up  in  every  direction.  The 
ladies  of  the  party  were  kindly  entertained  by  Mr. 
John  Kinzie.  On  Sunday  the  Bishop  had  an  immense 
class  for  confirmation ;  and  there  were  so  many  com- 
municants that  a  second  consecration  of  the  elements 
was  needed. 

On  the  trip  to  Mackinaw  they  had  an  interesting 
fellow-traveller  in  Mr.  Gurdon  S.   Hubbard,  an  early 


A  Journey  West  in   1840  303 

settler  and  famous  business  man  of  Chicago.  He  was 
going  to  Mackinaw  for  the  Indian  payment  of  the 
Government,  and  was  famiHar  with  several  Indian  dia- 
lects and  many  Indian  customs,  which  made  the  second 
visit  to  that  place  even  more  interesting  than  the 
former  one.  A  large  assembly  of  the  "beauty  and 
chivalry  "  of  the  tribes  was  gathered  there. 

The  journey  was  continued  through  lakes  Huron, 
St.  Clair,  and  Erie  until  Cleveland  was  reached.  Dur- 
ing these  journeys  the  Bishop  always  held  service  on 
Sundays  and  said  "grace  at  meat," — sometimes  under 
difficulties.  He  was  usually  the  centre  of  interest ; 
when  he  opened  conversation  with  the  person  next  to 
him,  another  would  join  and  still  another,  until  the 
attention  of  every  one  was  drawn.  His  way  of  telling 
a  story  was  unique — in  few  words,  but  all  to  the  point. 
He  made  a  picture  of  his  thoughts,  arousing  the  inter- 
est and  holding  the  attention  of  all  sorts  of  people. 

From  Buffalo  they  went  to  Lake  Ontario  and  took  a 
boat  to  Oswego,  where  a  canal-boat  conveyed  them  in- 
land; then  they  proceeded  by  stage  across  the  country 
to  Whitehall  on  Lake  Champlain,  where  a  fine  steamer 
carried  them  up  that  lovely  lake  to  Burlington,  Ver- 
mont. Everything  about  the  boat  was  clean  and 
bright,  in  striking  contrast  to  the  boats  on  the  Western 
lakes,  especially  in  the  excellent  food  and  neatly  laid 
tables. 

Two  or  three  days  were  spent  at  Burlington,  where 
they  saw  much  of  Bishop  Hopkins  and  his  family. 
Never  was  there  a  more  brilliant  array  of  sons  and 
daughters  than  these.  Several  of  them  were  still 
young,  but  it  was  evident  that  all  were  "made  up  with 
brains,  sir."     Bishop  Hopkins  was  justly  regarded  as 


304  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

one  of  the  finest — perhaps  the  very  finest — of  the 
preachers  of  the  American  Church  at  that  time.  He 
has  scarcely  been  excelled  since. 

From  Burlington  it  was  nearly  a  day's  drive  to  the 
home  of  Judge  Dudley  Chase,  the  Bishop's  brother. 
Horse  and  buggy  were  soon  in  readiness  for  Laura, 
the  three  miles  down  hill  were  quickly  traversed,  and 
she  was  once  more  at  home. 

From  that  time,  amid  all  the  cares,  labors,  and  trials 
that  followed  him  to  his  life's  end,  the  Bishop  kept  up 
a  correspondence  with  her.  Some  few  of  these  letters 
are  given  hi  toto  in  the  next  chapter,  to  show  how 
kindly  he  could  write  to  a  child,  and  what  a  gentle  and 
affectionate  side  there  was  to  his  strong,  masterful 
character.  Extracts  from  others  carry  on  the  story  of 
his  work — active  and  administrative — in  his  diocese  and 
at  Jubilee  College,  also  on  the  large  farm  which,  it 
should  be  remembered,  was  his  main  dependence  for 
the  support  of  himself  and  family,  and  contributory  to 
that  of  the  College. 


CHAPTER   XXXIX 

LETTERS    TO   A   GRANDCHILD 

Jubilee  College,  Sept,  8,  '42. 

My  dear  Laura: 

When  you  wrote  your  good  letter  of  the  22d  of 
August,  I  was  in  the  northern  part  of  my  diocese  with 
your  uncle  Dudley,  who  is  now  my  faithful  fellow- 
laborer  in  the  Christian  ministry.  We  were  preaching 
every  day,  and  so  tired  at  night  with  the  various 
duties  of  our  ofifice  as  to  drop  from  our  chairs  before 
our  beds  could  be  made. 

You  were  at  home  playing  with  the  calves  and  kit- 
tens, with  no  thought  of  care  to  disturb  your  repose 
by  night.  How  different  are  the  lots  to  which  we 
seem  to  be  called  !  I  never  had  a  "resting  day  "  in  my 
life  since  I  was  a  child.  Rachael  and  I  used  to  play 
on  the  large  quartz  rock,  near  father's  and  Ben  Hall's. 
It  is  broken  all  to  pieces  now.  What  ruthless  vandals 
have  arisen  since  my  day.  It  was  the  prettiest  rock  in 
the  world — clean  and  white;  on  its  flat  level  top  we 
used  to  climb  up  and  play. 

But  whither  am  I  going  in  a  letter  to  my  grand- 
daughter? I  was  going  to  make  some  observations 
which  should  call  your  attention  to  the  contrast  be- 
tween your  grandfather's  lot  in  life  and  your  own,  that 

thereby  you  might  discover  what  reason  you  have  to 
20 

305 


3o6  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

be  thankful  to  Him  who  governeth  all  the  affairs  of 
men. 

Remember,  dear  Laura,  that  it  is  not  in  going  to 
Royalton  Academy  your  accomplishments  will  consist. 
It  is  in  understanding  the  branches  thoroughly.  If 
you  take  anything  in  hand,  make  yourself  mistress  of 
it.     Don't  be  a  prating  fool. 

The  next  thing  you  must  derive  from  your  superior 
privileges  is  to  pay  daily  homage  for  them  on  your 
knees  to  God,  who  giveth  them  to  you.  Laura,  you 
know  this  is  so.     Do  it  then. 

Your  affectionate  grandfather, 

Phil'r  Chase. 

Jubilee  College,  Nov.  30,  1842. 

My  dear  Laura: 

I  believe  I  am  in  debt  to  you  for  a  letter,  or  if  it 
should  prove  otherwise  it  is  not  any  matter.  I  have 
caught  a  bad  cold  and  am  confined  this  severe  weather 
to  my  rooms  for  the  most  part.  Besides  this  I  cough 
nearly  all  night,  and  so  am  quite  stupid  in  the  daytime. 
If  this  should  prove  to  you  that  I  am  old,  don't  be 
alarmed;  only  pray  earnestly  that  your  grandfather, 
who  loves  you  dearly,  may  be  prepared.  I  wish  that 
in  my  ill  health  I  had  an  exemption  from  my  cares, 
but  this  is  far  from  being  the  case.  We  have  sixteen 
hands,  twelve  oxen,  and  nine  horses  continually  at 
work  for  the  college.  We  quarry  and  draw  stone  to 
the  mill  and  lumber  thence;  coal  from  the  pit  and 
wood  from  the  forest.  So  you  see,  God  willing,  we 
intend  to  "go  ahead  "  and  be  prepared  to  work  in  the 
coming  season.     .     .     . 

Our  dear  church  continues  to  increase.  We  have 
now  about  eighty  communicants. 


Letters  to  a  Grandchild  307 

Notice  of  the  intended  ordination  of  Dr.  Southgate 
on  the  4th  Sunday  in  Advent  was  sent  by  the  last  mail 
to  the  Christian  Witness  in  Boston.  This  event  is  im- 
portant, being  the  first  ordination  in  Jubilee  Chapel. 
You  may  imagine  how  it  affects  me.  The  candidates 
have  been,  under  God,  prepared  here,  and  it  endears 
it  to  our  memories  and  heart's  best  affections. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  S.  Chase  will  preach  the  sermon,  and 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Douglas  will  present  the  candidates. 
Let  us  have  your  prayers,  dear  Laura,  that  blessings 
may  attend  us. 

I  suppose  you  have  been  already  apprized  that  we 
have  all  moved  from  the  Robin's  Nest  to  Jubilee  Col- 
lege, The  house  is  finished,  but  the  kitchen  part  is 
yet  behind. 

Your  dear  grandmother  is  industrious  and  economi- 
cal as  ever.  Never  were  greater  sacrifices  than  those 
she  has  made  all  her  life  long  for  the  good  of  the 
Church. 

Don't  forget  to  mention  us  kindly  to  all  in  Randolph 
and  Bethel. 

I  trust  we  shall  all  meet  in  a  better  place  soon,  and 
in  Jesus  Christ  be  saved. 

May  God  bless  you,  dear  Laura. 

P.  Chase. 

Jubilee,  21st  of  Dec,  '42, 

My  dear  Granddaughter: 

Yours  of  the  4th  instant  came  to-day.  It  is  melan- 
choly to  think  of  my  dear  sister  Rachael's  continued 
illness.  We  are  so  nearly  of  an  age  and  played  so 
much  together  in  our  infancy  and  childhood,  and  sym- 
pathized so  much  together  in  our  riper  years,  that  the 


3o8  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

thoughts  of  her  sufferings  are  more  than  I  can  bear 
without  special  aid.  I  wish  I  could  see  her  and  pray 
with  her  and  talk  of  another  and  better  world,  as  she 
has  been  so  dear  to  me  in  this. 

The  scriptural  proofs  of  the  second  Advent  of  Our 
Lord  are  what  I  have  long  dwelt  upon.  I  am  sorry  to 
see  so  grave  a  subject  made  a  matter  of  camp-meeting 
excitement.  The  more  I  am  convinced  of  the  speedy 
coming  of  Jesus,  the  more  I  should  strive  to  be  at  my 
post  of  duty,  visiting  the  fatherless  and  widows  in  their 
affliction  and  to  keep  myself  unspotted  from  the  world. 
A  meek  and  quiet  spirit  is  of  great  price  in  the  sight 
of  God,  to  acquire  which  I  have  no  notion  that  it  is  my 
duty  to  "seek  the  tented  field." 

Dear  Laura,  I  rejoice  that  you  are  not  carried  away 
with  Millerism.  Keep  you  at  home.  Watch  and 
pray,  try  to  do  good  by  feeding  the  hungry  and  cloth- 
ing the  naked,  looking  always  to  Jesus,  the  author  and 
finisher  of  your  salvation. 

Will  you  believe  it  —  there  are  now  besides  the 
scholars  more  than  thirty  persons  in  our  employ? 
What  are  we  all  doing?  Ans'r. — Trying  to  build  up 
Jubilee  College. 

Last  Sunday  Dr.  Southgate  was  ordained.  Your 
uncle  Dudley  read  morning  prayer.  The  Rev.  S. 
Chase  preached  a  capital  sermon,  and  five  persons 
were  confirmed,  and  the  Sacrament  administered  to 
fifty-three. 

I  am  now  writing  my  5th  No.  of  Reminiscences. 
I  am  just  now — to-day — in  Congress,  and  often  speak- 
ing with  my  best  friend  and  Brother  Senator  from 
Vermont.  I  have  him  now  in  my  mind's  eye  as  he 
used  then  to  rejoice  with  me  at  the  passage  of  my  bill. 


Letters  to  a  Grandchild  309 

for  a  township  of  land  for  Kenyon  College,  thro*  the 
Senate. 

I  hope  you  will  read  in  the  Wit7iess  about  our  mis- 
sionary wheels  all  going,  but  not  a  kernel  in  the  hopper 
for  the  poor  missionaries'  bread.     They  nearly  starve. 

We  all  send  love  to  you  and  beg  you  to  mention  us 
kindly  to  all  dear  friends. 

I  want  an  ox-team  or  two.  Don't  laugh  at  this;  if 
you  knew  what  they  would  be  to  the  building  of  our 
college  you  would  not  wonder. 

P.  Chase. 

Jubilee,  April  20,  1843. 

My  dear  Laura: 

Your  uncle  Dudley  Chase,  my  son,  is  now  among 
our  best  preachers.  I  have  obtained  an  appointment 
for  him  as  an  itinerant  missionary  with  a  salary  of  $300. 
.  .  .  He  will  travel  with  me  all  the  season  through,  first 
at  the  south  and  then  at  the  north  of  the  diocese.  As  to 
myself,  you  know  I  have  no  salary,  yet  I  have  to  main- 
tain a  carriage  (given  by  Mrs.  Marryat  of  London,  my 
wife's  cousin)  and  horses  (taken  from  ploughing  my 
farm).  So  as  to  make  me  comfortable  in  travelling, 
some  few  dollars  are  sent  me  to  pay  expenses  on  the 
way.  All  this  you  see  is  but  slender  living,  yet  "they 
tell  us  the  voluntary  system  works  well." 

I  think  the  reputation  of  the  college  is  increasing. 
We  have  a  good  mathematical  teacher  and  also  a 
teacher  of  the  languages,  besides  the  Rev.  S.  Chase, 
who  is  over  the  school  and  regulates  the  whole,  hear- 
ing all  the  upper  classes.  Mary  has  charge  of  the 
female  department,  being  a  small  number  taught  and 
boarded   in   the  cottage.     The  building  of  the  West 


3IO  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

Wing  will  go  on  as  soon  as  the  frost  is  out  of  the 
ground,  which  this  year  continues  longer  that  was  ever 
known  before.  The  cold  has  killed  more  than  one 
hundred  of  the  college  lambs. 

I  rejoice  to  hear  that  you  have  not  fallen  a  prey  to 
the  Millerites.  Your  excellent  bishop  has  just  senti- 
ments on  this  subject. 

This  is  all  that  I  can  say  at  present  except  that  I  am 
your  loving  grandfather  P.   ChasE. 

St.  Louis,  July  lo,  '43. 

My  dear  Laura: 

I  have  had  a  laborious  life  since  I  last  wrote  you, 
and  were  I  to  say  that  it  has  been  full  of  sickness  and 
trouble  I  should  speak  the  truth.  From  the  conven- 
tion in  Quincy  where  your  dear  uncle  Dudley  was 
ordained  to  priest's  orders,  I  proceeded  to  Chester, 
where  the  church  is  making  a  beginning.  Here  we 
officiated,  baptized,  and  confirmed,  and  administered 
the  Holy  Communion  to  a  goodly  number. 

The  roads  across  from  Chester  were  very  bad  and 
my  health  very  poor,  yet  we  made  out  to  preach  often 
and  organize  one  parish  in  Jackson  County,  mostly  of 
Vermont  people.  At  Mt.  Vernon  and  Fairfield  we 
had  large  congregations.  At  Albion  we  consecrated  a 
church  and  confirmed  twenty-four,  besides  baptizing  a 
number  and  preaching  many  times. 

We  dropped  down  the  river  in  a  skiff  to  Harmony, 
the  place  begun  by  Rhapp  and  afterwards  purchased 
by  the  infidel  Owen.  Rhapp's  church,  which  was  built 
to  contain  about  five  thousand  people,  was  turned  by 
Owen  into  a  theatre  and  cost  about  $10,000.  It  is  go- 
ing to  decay  and  the  owner,  to  save  it  from  utter  ruin, 


Letters  to  a  Grandchild  311 

has  given  it  in  fee  simple  to  the  vestry  of  our  church. 
But  whether  it  will  be  worth  repairing  is  the  question. 
It  exhibits  an  imposing  sight  with  its  large  pillars  and 
vaulted  roof.  A  fine  church  of  a  size  to  contain  five 
or  six  hundred  persons  might  be  made  of  it,  and  still 
have  enough  room  for  spacious  schools  and  convenient 
parsonage. 

From  Harmony  on  the  Wabash  we  went  to  the  Ohio 
River,  and  officiated  in  the  evening  at  a  place  called 
Mt.  Vernon  in  Indiana.  Here  we  also  met  with  Ver- 
monters.  A  steamboat  on  Monday  took  us  on  board, 
and  that  night  we  passed  Cairo  into  the  Mississippi. 

Our  arrival  at  Chester  was  sooner  than  they  ex- 
pected, yet  we  spent  our  time  usefully  there.  I  went 
up  on  Saturday  and  officiated  in  the  town  of  Kaskas- 
kia,  settled  about  the  same  time  with  Philadelphia; 
the  inhabitants  are  chiefly  Roman  Catholics.  After 
preaching  on  Sunday  I  took  cold.  I  came  down  in 
the  evening,  officiated,  preached,  and  confirmed  in 
Chester,  On  Monday  a  boat  took  us  to  this  place, 
where  I  have  been  sick  ever  since.  Yesterday  I  was 
obliged  to  keep  close  in  the  house,  being  forbidden  by 
my  physician  to  go  to  church.  Dudley,  however,  went 
and  preached  three  times  and  read  service  twice,  from 
which  you  may  infer  his  perfect  health. 

I  hope  to  resume  my  labors  in  my  own  diocese  in  a 
few  days,  and  to  be  at  home  in  the  course  of  a  fortnight 
or  three  weeks.     They  are  all  well  at  Jubilee. 

My  own  mind  in  relation  to  eternal  things  was  never 
more  at  ease.  God's  Spirit  seems  to  be  with  me  and 
comfort  me  with  the  fond  hope  of  soon  seeing  your 
own  grandmother  in  Paradise. 

Give  my  love  to  your  honored   mother  and  loved 


312  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

sister,  and  when  you  see  Brother  Dudley  and  other 

friends,  mention  me  kindly  to  them  all  and  believe  me 

Your  loving  grandfather 

Phil'r  Chase. 

Jubilee  College,  Nov.  7th. 

My  dear  Laura: 

Indeed  I  shall  always  think  of  you  and  love  you,  my 
sweetest  granddaughter.  How  pleased  I  was  to  read 
your  last  of  the  28th  ult. 

Janet  was  married  yesterday  by  myself  in  Jubilee 
Chapel.  The  day  was  rainy  and  quite  unpleasant,  yet 
the  congregation  was  quite  full.  It  was  Communion 
Day  and  all  things  seemed  so  holy,  but  few  could  feel 
unmoved  at  the  whole  service.  The  older  I  grow  and 
the  oftener  I  repeat  the  offices  of  the  primitive  Church, 
the  better  I  am  pleased  and  edified  by  them.  .  .  . 
Exclusive  of  the  superiority  of  the  Church  in  point  of 
her  claims  to  a  Divine  origin  (which  are  acknowledgd 
by  all  who  examine  them  fairly)  the  prayer  book  holds 
a  proud  pre-eminence  above  all  other  ways  of  worship ; 
it  obtains  the  admiration  of  her  friends  and  the  envy 
of  all  her  enemies.  But  all  this  you  know  better  than 
I  can  tell  you. 

My  own  health  is  better  than  before  I  was  sick  in 
October.  I  have  made  an  episcopal  visitation  to 
Quincy,  Rushville,  and  other  places  since  I  wrote  you. 
The  Church  (where  there  are  any  stated  services)  is  in 
a  flourishing  state. 

My  cares  increase  at  home.  We  have  now  nearly 
twenty  hired  persons  on  the  Hill,  all  of  whom  I  have 
to  direct,  and  pay  too.  What  shall  I  do?  Depend  on 
Divine  mercy  as  I  have  done. 


Letters  to  a  Grandchild  313 

Dear  Laura,  may  God  support  you  and  your  aged 
grandfather  for  Christ's  sake. 

And  now  farewell,  dear  Laura;  may  God  bless  and 
comfort  you  and  give  you  a  sound  and  prudent  mind, 
for  Jesus'  sake;  so  prays  your  loving  Grandfather. 

27  March,  1844. 

My  dear  Granddaughter: 

Yesterday  Dudley  went  to  Farmington  to  marry  a 
couple  and  I  stayed  here  at  home  and  married  two 
couples  in  the  church.  One  was  from  Peoria.  The 
solemnity  of  this  office  when  performed  in  church  is 
becoming  and  makes  a  favorable  impression  on  all  who 
behold  it.  Marriage  is  that  which  distinguishes  Man 
from  the  brute  creation ;  why  then  should  it  not  be 
marked  by  something  becoming  its  high  destination? 
An  appeal  to  God  for  His  blessing  and  as  a  witness  to 
the  covenant  made  in  His  name  is  of  all  things  most 
appropriate. 

There  are  many  things  which  of  late  years  have 
tended  to  make  mankind  set  lightly  on  the  subject  of 
their  relative  duties,  and  this  of  "jumping  the  broom- 
stick "  in  marriage  I  count  one  of  the  greatest.  Dear 
Laura,  if  you  ever  choose  to  change  a  maiden  for  a 
marriage  life,  let  that  change  be  marked  with  the  finger 
of  God's  remembrance;  do  it  in  the  fear  of  His  Holy 
Name  and  with  a  firm  reliance  on  His  Divine  sup- 
port, and  then  may  you,  for  Jesus'  sake,  expect  His 
blessing. 

Our  spring,  after  having  been  retarded  by  some 
equinoctial  storms  of  snow  and  rain,  has  again  com- 
menced in  earnest  and  we  are  looking  for  garden  vege- 
tables in  great  plenty.     Our  lettuce  has  advanced  so 


314  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

that  we  begin  to  set  it  out  in  rows  of  plants,  and  our 
garden  peas  are  sprouting  out  of  the  ground. 

Do  give  my  love  to  every  one  who  asks  after  your 
aged  and  affectionate  grandfather. 

Phil'r  Chase. 

[No  date.] 

My  journey  across  the  mountains  and  in  descending 
the  rivers  and  traversing  the  land  road,  from  the  town 
of  Evansville  to  Edwardsville  in  Madison  County  and 
thence  thro'  Jacksonville  and  Springfield  to  Peoria 
County,  was  exceedingly  long  and  tedious.  I  stopped 
at  Cincinnati  and  had  great  pleasure  in  conversing 
with  my  nephew  Salmon  P.  Chase,  now  the  most  emi- 
nent lawyer  in  the  State  of  Ohio.  His  brother  is  with 
him  and  doing  pretty  well. 

Mary  is  quite  well.  For  want  of  room  to  board  the 
girls,  but  a  few  at  present  can  be  put  under  her  charge. 
The  West  Wing  will  go  up  in  the  spring  and  this  will 
obviate  difficulties.     It  will  cost  about  $2000. 

I  went  on  Saturday  afternoon  to  Farmington,  twenty 
miles,  and  preached  three  times  on  Sunday.  The 
people  are  quite  rejoiced  to  know  that  they  are 
about  to  enjoy  the  stated  ordinances  of  our  primitive 
Church. 

There  is  one  object  which  has  quite  improved  the 
prospect  from  the  Robin's  Nest  when  looking  across 
the  meadows  on  College  Hill.  It  is  what  is  called  the 
Farm-House.  It  far  exceeds  the  idea  that  you  would 
form  of  such  a  building.  It  is  three  stories  high.  It 
will  be  used  too  for  a  boarding-house  for  the  scholars. 
The  site  of  the  most  convenient  and  very  spacious 
edifice  is  very  commanding.     It  overlooks  the  meadows 


Letters  to  a  Grandchild  315 

and  pasture  land  for  a  mile  each  way,  all  belonging  to 
the  college. 

Bye  the  bye  did  I  tell  you  about  our  sheep?  About 
four  hundred  were  brought  on  to  the  premises  last  fall 
and  are  now  doing  very  well.  The  lambs  are  now 
making  their  appearance. 

But  I  am  tired  and  no  doubt  you  are,  so  good  night, 
my  dear  granddaughter. 

P.  Chase. 

New  York,  47  Broadway,  Dec.  9th. 

My  dear  Laura: 

My  eyes  flow  with  tears  as  I  arise  from  my  knees 
begging  God's  grace  to  sanctify  to  me  the  death  of 
dear,  most  dear  sister  Allace.  O,  Laura;  this  dispen- 
sation of  Divine  Providence  in  taking  from  my  view 
this  sister  sinks  deeper  into  my  heart  than  you  are 
probably  aware  of.  It  was  Allace  who  was  the  sooth- 
ing friend  of  my  childhood.  When  our  mother — 
weakly  and  sick  as  was  the  case  very  often  and  for  a 
long  time  at  the  period  when  I  most  wanted  her  bosom 
to  lean  on — when  my  mother  could  not  "take  me," 
then  this  dear  sister  more  than  all  the  others  supplied 
her  place.  To  her  lap  and  soothing  cares  I  ran,  and 
by  her  stories  was  my  perturbed  spirit  quieted  when 
my  mother  was  in  her  sick  room  and  when  all  others 
were  unmindful  of  my  childish  woes.  And  now  that 
dear  person  after  spending  a  life  of  personal  suffering 
and  weakness  sleeps  in  her  grave,  and  I  mourn  indeed. 
.  That  she  is  blessed  I  know  full  well — but  to 
think  of  the  shattered  remnants  of  our  once  flourishing 
family,  how  like  the  leaves  of  autumn  we  all  appear! 
The  summer  is  past  and  we  fall  down  and  into  the 


3i6  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

cold  ground.  The  doctrine  of  the  Resurrection  alone 
can  cheer  us  when  dwelling  upon  this  subject.  May 
God  give  us  grace  to  realize  it. 

Your  loving  grandfather, 

Phil'r  Chase. 

Jubilee,  May  lo,  1844. 

.  .  .  After  going  to  Michigan  to  sell  my  farm, 
my  next  duties  are  to  be  discharged  in  N.  York,  which 
will  occupy  nearly  all  of  July.  In  August  I  hope  to 
go  to  Vermont  and  in  the  month  of  Sept.  I  must 
visit  Boston,  New  Haven,  and  Hartford.     ,     .     . 

If  any  one  should  ask  why  my  dear  wife,  who  is  so 
essential  to  my  personal  comfort,  in  this  my  last  jour- 
ney to  the  east  is  not  going  with  me,  let  it  be  briefly 
said,  Because  the  thing  is  impossible.  The  whole 
college  establishment  would  at  this  critical  period  go 
to  ruin  if  she  were  to  be  absent  from  it  this  summer. 
To  this  necessity  she  submits  with  resignation  becom- 
ing a  saint.  She  looks  up  and  says  "It  is  thy  will,  O, 
God."  This  calms  the  tempest  in  her  faithful  bosom 
and  then  all  is  serene.  She  is  finishing  the  last  gar- 
ment to  make  me  decent  with  the  least  expense  for  the 
summer.  Would  that  our  churchmen  could  generally 
know  what  this  dear  mother  in  Israel  has  suffered  and 
done  to  build  up  the  Kingdom  of  God  in  the  wilder- 
ness. She  stays  at  home  and  works  for  God.  When 
money  is  sent  her  from  those  who  hear  of  her  devoted- 
ness  in  far  countries,  she  applies  it  all  to  pay  for  the 
college  goods  in  New  York,  and  when  bills  accumulate 
against  her  husband  at  home  she  will  not  allow  even 
the  smallest  sums  to  be  deducted  from  them  on  acct. 
of  any  salary  to  be  allowed  her  or  her  husband.     Such 


Letters  to  a  Grandchild  317 

is  the  wife  of  Bishop  Chase,  and  in  contemplating  her 
character  who  can  be  unmoved? 

To-day  I  preach  the  Ascension  Sermon  in  Jubilee 
Chapel.  To-morrow  I  go  to  lay  the  corner-stone  of  a 
church  ten  miles  off.  On  Saturday,  i.  e.,  day  after  to- 
morrow, I  set  off  for  Knoxville,  where  I  preach  on 
Sunday,  and  on  Monday  I  go  to  take  the  steamboat  for 
Galena  up  the  Mississippi  River, — so  if  the  Lord  will. 

Jubilee,  July  8,  1847. 

You  see,  my  dear  Laura,  the  order  of  our  proceed- 
ings here  on  Jubilee  Hill  at  our  Commencement  yester- 
day. What  a  wonder!  Seven  or  eight  hundred  people 
all  assembled  together  to  witness  the  fact  that  Jubilee 
College  was  not,  is  not  dead,  or  rather  that  it  has  in- 
deed a  being. 

Never  were  the  solemnities  of  the  Church  more 
decently  conducted  than  those  of  yesterday  in  Jubilee 
Chapel. 

Of  the  proceedings,  of  going  to  Green  Arbor  in  pro- 
cession, you  will  have  some  idea  by  telling  you  that 
the  procession  reached  round  the  west  wing  of  the  col- 
lege and  extended  two  or  three  hundred  yards.  It  was 
under  the  direction  of  your  uncle  Henry,  who  was 
marshall  of  the  day,  having  a  band  of  music  at  his 
control.  There  was  a  platform  prepared  for  the  con- 
ferring of  the  collegiate  degrees  and,  as  we  approached 
it,  the  ranks  opened  from  right  to  left  and  the  order 
was  reversed,  and  when  I  came  to  Green  Arbor  situated 
under  three  spreading  oaks  and  canopied  by  fresh 
boughs  overhanging  a  well  carpeted  platform,  sur- 
rounded on  every  side  but  one  with  comfortable  seats, 
the  whole  seemed  enchantment.     Never  have  I  been 


3i8  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

more  affected  at  the  ingenuity  of  my  beloved  family 
and  scholars. 

The  band  performed  some  of  the  best  pieces  while 
the  seats  were  filling  up  with  eager  listeners,  and  when 
all  were  in  their  places  and  amid  breathless  silence,  the 
orations  commenced. 

Of  these  it  becomes  others  to  judge,  except  to  say 
that  they  all  exceeded  my  expectations  as  they  had 
done  in  being  previously  examined  by  the  professors 
and  myself. 

The  whole  audience  was  regaled,  after  the  degrees 
were  conferred  and  I  had  said  a  few  words,  by  a  well 
prepared  lunch  and  then  departed  rejoicing  to  their 
homes. 

[No  date,] 

The  lateness  of  the  season  is  a  forbidding  feature  in 
this  future  of  troubles ;  but  God  may  smile  on  us  and 
grant  us  the  genial  influence  of  sunny  days  and  mild 
skies.     I  shall  trust  entirely  to  His  goodness. 

We  are  now  nearly  through  with  the  tedious  job  of 
taking  the  fine  fleeces  from  two  thousand  sheep. 
When  it  is  over  we  shall  rejoice  and  praise  the  Lord 
for  His  goodness. 

Your  uncle  Dudley  and  his  sweet  family  left  us  to- 
day to  go  in  a  covered  vehicle  on  a  missionary  tour  to 
Rockford  on  Rock  River.  I  am  overwhelmed  with 
care  in  preparing  the  8th  No.  of  the  Motto  and  in  ex- 
tensive correspondence.  My  health  is  generally  better. 
I  can  walk  a  little  ways  and  ride  in  a  buggy,  with  a 
pillow  behind  me,  with  less  pain  than  I  did  when  you 
were  here. 

We  are  all  well,  and  the  crops  on  our  extensive 
grounds  look  flourishing. 


Letters  to  a  Grandchild  319 

The  students  are  getting  on  in  their  learning ;  a  can- 
didate for  deacon's  orders  was  examined  yesterday  by 
your  uncle  Dudley  and  passed  with  approbation — his 
first  examination. 

The  consecration  of  Kickapoo  Church  is  appointed 
for  the  second  Sunday  in  July.  The  la}ang  of  the 
corner-stone  of  a  noble  church  in  Peoria  will  I  trust 
soon  after  take  place. 

Jubilee  College,  io  of  Dec,  1849. 

You  have  doubtless  heard  of  our  sad  loss  by  the  de- 
struction of  our  mills  by  fire.  A  third  part  of  our  liv- 
ing on  College  Hill  being  thereby  taken  from  us,  we 
were  thrown  into  a  state  of  doubt  whether  it  was  our 
duty  to  go  on,  or  to  stop — at  least  for  a  time — the 
operations  of  our  College  system.  Were  we  to  do 
this,  the  income  of  our  farms  would  enable  us  to  pay 
all  our  debts  in  a  short  time,  or  by  selling  off  our  stock 
we  could  do  it  now.  But  in  that  case  how  seriously 
would  the  College  suffer,  and  how  disappointed  would 
be  all  our  benefactors.  Under  this  view  of  things 
there  was  but  one  voice  among  us  all — "Go  on,  Go  on  !" 
Let  us  improve  still  more  thoroughly  our  fine  lands  not 
yet  brought  into  good  cultivation.  Let  us  increase  the 
extent  of  our  pasture  and  grass  lands  for  hay.  Let  us 
increase  our  stock  of  cows  and  the  number  of  our  fine 
wool  sheep.  Let  us  make  butter  and  cheese  and  raise 
fruit  for  the  market,  and  see  if  we  cannot  do  without 
our  mills  by  raising  wheat  to  buy  our  flour. 

The  chief  difficulty  in  the  way  was  the  want  of 
lumber  to  make  fences  to  enclose  our  domain.  This 
is  obviated  by  the  following  facts, — we  have  oak  trees 
enough  on  our  land  to  fence  the  whole  and  we  can 


320  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

erect  a  three  horse  power  sawmill  to  prepare  the  boards 
for  fencing.  We  have  oxen  strong  to  labor  to  draw  in 
our  logs  and  to  break  up  the  ground  for  our  spring 
crops. 

Having  laid  this  plan  and  already  begun  to  put  it  in 
operation,  you  see  I  have  (and  in  just  five  days  fron 
this  I  am  seventy-four  years  of  age)  commenced  the 
world  anew.  My  dear  children  are  (under  God)  my 
hands  and  my  feet  to  run  and  to  do  what  their  aged 
father  dictates. 

But  where  is  the  cash  for  outlay  when  all  this  is  go- 
ing on?  Who  shall  pay  the  laborers,  now  above  twenty 
in  number,  and  give  them  lodging  and  their  food  in  its 
season?  In  short  who  shall  guarantee  a  sum  (equal  to 
what  we  have  lost)  in  fencing  two  thousand  acres  and 
putting  it  in  a  fair  state  of  cultivation?  I  will  let  our 
motto  answer  the  question;  "Jehovah  Jireh  " — God 
will  provide. 

On  the  college  land  it  will  be  seen  that  the  Angel  of 
the  Lord  who  hath  been  with  me  all  my  life  long  hath 
not  failed  me  at  last.  In  proportion  as  the  world  deserts 
me  and  misfortunes  befall  me,  in  my  weary  journeys, 
even  so  will  the  Right  Hand  of  the  Lord  be  held  out 
to  support  me. 

I  sent  you  the  loth  No.  of  our  Motto  lately,  and  I 
hope  you  have  found  time  to  read  it  because  it  is 
mostly  written  by  your  aged  Grandfather.  Some  of 
it  treats  of  our  great  loss  by  the  burning  of  our  mills, 
and  there  are  hopes  that  it  will  call  forth  from  our 
brother  churchmen  some  means  to  raise  us  from  our 
present  depression.  But  we  live  in  an  age  when  Mam- 
mon reigns,  and  little  can  be  expected  but  from  such 


'    It 


J  '  > 


— -     / 


ii>  iu#l.''i 


HW^iW  »'«  i 


*.; 


Letters  to  a  Grandchild  321 

as  have  renounced  him  in  truth,  as  well  as  by  profes- 
sion, and  these  I  find  by  sad  experience  are  few  and 
far  between.  All  others  horde  together  as  the  swine 
about  Gadara,  ready  to  receive  the  legion  causing  them 
to  perish  without  a  remedy.  It  is  said  that  the  Gada- 
renes,  when  they  saw  their  property  and  means  of 
worldly  wealth  infringed  upon,  came  out  of  the  city 
and  besought  the  Blessed  Saviour,  who  had  just  cured 
the  maniac,  to  depart  out  of  their  coasts.  While 
Jesus  maintained  Himself  and  did  not  apply  to  them 
for  aid  in  preaching  His  Heavenly  Gospel,  these  world- 
lings had  nothing  to  say ;  but  when  they  found  that 
they  must  give  up  their  god,  Mammon,  then  they 
joined  as  one  man  to  expel  Him  from  their  borders. 

26th  March,  1851. 

I  have  great  satisfaction  in  reading  your  good  letters, 
but  have  little  time  to  answer  them  as  they  deserve 
and  as  my  tender  regard  to  you  dictates. 

We  are  all  well,  having  every  moment  to  work  for 
our  living  and  to  keep  the  college  institution  from 
sinking  under  the  load  of  difficulties  occasioned  by  our 
losses  by  fire. 

It  is  Passion  Week,  and  soon  I  am  to  be  called  for 
services  in  the  Chapel. 


CHAPTER   XL 

MISSION  WORK  AND  JOURNEYINGS 

THE  Rev.  Dudley  Chase,  as  stated  in  the  foregoing 
letters,  was  early  engaged  in  missionary  work  in 
his  father's  diocese  and  accompanied  him  on  his  visita- 
tions. What  their  work  really  was  —  its  hardships, 
perils,  and  the  kind  of  people  with  whom  they  had  to 
deal — is  brought  out  more  clearly  in  the  son's  report 
than  in  the  father's  brief  mention,  and  furnishes  inter- 
esting supplementary  reading  in  the  following  extracts : 

"After  receiving  priest's  orders,  your  missionary 
was  appointed  itinerant  at  large,  and  the  northern  half 
of  the  State  assigned  to  him,  while  the  Rev.  Dr.  South- 
gate,  ordained  at  the  same  time,  had  the  southern  half. 
There  was  at  that  time  no  clergyman  stationed  in  the 
northern  half,  except  at  Chicago,  Galena,  Ottawa,  and 
in  Peoria  County.  The  wide  area  between  these  places 
was  to  be  traversed  in  summer  and  winter,  two  or  three 
times  a  year. 

"To  visit  the  Rock  River  country  one  passed  over  a 
prairie  twenty-two  miles  in  extent,  without  a  house  in 
sight,  nor  could  the  farther  side  be  seen,  a  lone  clump 
of  trees  in  the  centre  being  the  only  guide.  Failing  on 
one  occasion  to  reach  the  far-side  until  nightfall,  a  week 
was  given  to  search  for  Church  people  in  that  vicin- 

322 


Mission  Work  and  Journeyings         323 

ity,  in  the  groves  skirting  the  prairies.  As  many  as 
twenty -two  members  were  found,  and  a  Sunday  service 
appointed  in  an  unfinished  frame  Colony  building  over- 
looking the  wide  prairie.  There  were  no  cushioned 
pews  in  that  extempore  church,  but  on  the  upper  floor 
were  seats  made  of  slabs  (with  the  bark  on)  and  the 
desk  was  of  the  same  material.  Yet  this  rude  place 
witnessed  a  most  solemn  service.  Most  of  these  dear 
people  had  lived  in  those  wilds  for  six  or  seven  years 
without  seeing  a  minister  of  their  loved  Church.  Their 
children  were  to  be  baptized  and  the  Lord's  Supper 
celebrated.  Tears  of  fond  remembrance  of  past  days 
were  prompted,  and  deep  emotion  was  evident  in  that 
holy  service.  God  was  evidently  in  our  midst,  and  not 
only  by  faith  manifested,  for  "He  who  rides  upon  the 
whirlwind  and  the  storm"  was  there  also,  in  visible 
power  and  majesty,  for  while  we  were  gathering,  the 
storm  was  also. 

' '  It  had  been  a  time  of  prolonged  drought.  The  tem- 
pest was  upon  us  in  the  midst  of  our  Communion  ser- 
vice. The  air  was  filled  with  dust.  It  grew  too  dark  to 
see  the  page,  though  at  mid-day.  Human  voice  could 
not  be  heard.  The  house  rocked  and  threatened  to 
fall.  The  lightning  flashed  with  blinding  effect,  and  in 
a  moment  it  was  dark.  The  war  of  wind  and  hail  was 
terrible.  There  was  no  escape  possible — death  stared 
us  in  the  face,  and  for  one  hour  we  sat  in  silent  awe,  or 
only  sobs  were  heard.  When  the  uproar  ceased,  was 
there  not  a  true  sacrifice  of  praise  and  thanksgiving? 

"From  the  outgrowth  of  that  service,  providentially 
ordered,  there  was  built  up  a  congregation  of  faithful 
people,  and  a  church  in  that  vicinity  still  exists  and 
prospers. 


324  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

"Once  more  I  was  to  accompany  the  Bishop,  in  his 
visitation  to  this  same  faithful  people ;  and  the  itinerant 
drove  the  sleigh  over  the  same  route  in  the  depth  of 
winter.  The  sleigh  was  roomy  enough  for  a  large  man 
to  lie  down  at  full  length  in  it.  We  had  a  fine  span  of 
horses  and  plenty  of  robes,  and  were  well-clad.  When 
we  emerged  from  the  woodland  and  faced  the  keen  air 
of  the  prairie,  we  realized  how  bitterly  cold  it  was,  also 
that  the  wind  had  drifted  the  snow  so  that  the  track 
was  obliterated.  We  had  only  those  few  lone  trees  in 
the  centre  to  guide  us.  It  was  soon  found  impossible 
to  sit  upright.  Solicitous  for  the  life  of  his  aged 
parent,  the  son  insisted  upon  removing  the  seats,  and 
that  he  should  lie  down  and  be  covered  completely. 
Himself,  being  young,  could  run  with  the  team  or  cling 
to  the  side  of  the  sleigh  for  rest.  Now  there  was  re- 
ciprocal anxiety.  'Father,  are  you  alive?'  'Son,  are 
you  there? '  were  frequently  exchanged. 

"Our  horses'  breath  was  congealed  to  icicles  in  their 
nostrils,  and  their  hair  was  white  with  frost.  Thus  the 
twenty -two  miles  were  passed,  meeting  and  seeing  no 
one  until  our  kind  friends  welcomed  us  to  shelter, 
warmth,  and  rest. 

"Sudden  changes  of  weather  come  proverbially  in 
Illinois.  Early  in  the  week  after  Sunday  services,  the 
snow  suddenly  disappeared  by  the  downpour  of  a 
warm  rain;  and  again  an  equally  sudden  change  froze 
the  vast  ponds  of  water  held  by  the  frozen  ground 
from  sinking  into  the  earth,  and  yet  the  ice  was  not 
strong  enough  to  bear  the  team  and  the  wagon  fur- 
nished us  to  return  home.  When  well  on  our  way,  a 
dense  fog  arose.  We  could  follow  no  track ;  we  could 
cross  no  pond,  the  ice  would  break.     The  horses'  legs 


Mission  Work  and  Journeyings         325 

were  cut  and  bleeding,  and  we  had  to  wander  aimlessly 
about  all  that  day,  'lost  on  the  prairie,'  until,  the  dark- 
ness coming  on,  we  felt  the  wagon  descending  a  slope 
and  found  a  road.  This  led  to  a  wood,  in  which  we 
reached  a  log  tavern  where  we  stayed. 

"The  landlord  told  us  that  on  the  day  of  the  'cold 
snap,'  as  he  termed  it,  two  men  left  his  ranch  to  cross 
the  prairie,  to  whom  he  had  furnished  a  jug  of  whiskey. 
One  man  was  frozen  to  death  and  the  other  had  to 
have  a  limb  amputated.  The  Bishop  did  not  say 
'  Poor  man  !  '  only,  but  charged  the  landlord  with  being 
guilty  in  furnishing  them  whiskey,  and  drew  from  him 
a  solemn  promise  that  he  would  abandon  its  sale. 

"So  it  seemed  that  Providence  guided  us  to  accom- 
plish some  good. 

"A  day's  cold  ride  brought  us  home." 

It  is  said  that  when  the  people  looked  out  over  the 
distant  snowdrifts  and  saw  the  missionary  struggling 
to  get  to  them,  they  would  say,  "Yonder  comes  our 
stormy  petrel ! ' ' 

"A  tour  in  Southern  Illinois  to  accompany  the 
Bishop  was  a  hard  one,  and  long  in  point  of  time.  It 
was  to  cross  the  State  from  Chester  on  the  Mississippi 
to  the  Wabash. 

"At  the  house  of  Col.  S.,  one  Sunday  morning  after 
breakfast,  we  were  enjoying  the  bright  sunshine  when 
a  man  appeared  whose  first  words  were,  'Bishop,  I 
have  come  to  have  an  argument  with  you  on  Atheism. 
I  profess  to  be  an  atheist.'  'Who  are  you,  sir?  What 
is  your  name?  Was  your  mother  a  pious  woman? 
Did  she  have  you   baptized  in  infancy?'     'Yes,  sir.' 


326  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

'Were  you  ever  confirmed?'  'Yes,  sir.'  'Who  con- 
firmed you  ? '  '  You,  sir. '  Whereupon  the  Bishop  rose 
and  such  a  solemn  personal  appeal — I  might  say,  judg- 
ment— followed,  that  the  man  broke  down  and  wept 
profusely.  I  was  present  and  fairly  shook  with  sym- 
pathy and  pity. 

"There  was  a  church  in  Chester  under  the  pastoral 
care  of  Mr.  Mitchell.  There  were  no  railroads  at  that 
time  nor  even  decent  wagon  roads,  and  we  had  to  trust 
to  the  kindness  of  such  churchmen  as  might  be  found 
to  furnish  teams  from  or  to  each  point  where  appoint- 
ments were  made  for  services.  Notices  were  sent  ahead 
for  night  service  after  each  day's  travel,  which  averaged 
twenty  miles.  The  country  was  generally  wooded,  the 
soil  clay,  the  contrast  great  to  the  prairie  lands  of 
Northern  Illinois.  It  had  been  settled  chiefly  by  emi- 
grants from  Kentucky  and  Indiana. 

"When  the  Bishop  saw  the  team  which  was  to  take 
us  to  the  first  point,  he  burst  into  a  hearty  laugh.  'A 
large  horse  yoked  to  a  small  mule!  Why  this  is  con- 
trary to  Mosaic  law !  '  The  wagon  was  not  made  for 
passengers.  It  was  called  a  'shad-belly,'  made  for  hold- 
ing barrels  of  pork,  and  had  signs  of  being  so  used. 
'Fill  up  the  concave  bottom  with  green  boughs  and 
put  our  garments  on  them  and  I  will  lie  down,'  was 
the  direction  given,  and  in  this  style  we  made  the 
twenty  miles  on  the  first  day. 

"Mr.  Tuthill,  of  Vergennes,  had  a  large  family.  For 
fifteen  years  he  had  lived  in  that  remote  locality  with- 
out receiving  a  visit  from  a  clergyman  of  his  loved 
Church  (except  one),  but  he  had  not  failed  to  train  up 
his  children  in  the  use  and  love  of  the  Church  services. 
The  infants  had  been  taken  to  St.  Louis  to  be  baptized. 


Mission  Work  and  Journeyings         327 

and  now,  at  the  first  opportunity,  the  adults  were  ready 
to  be  confirmed. 

"At  the  next  point  a  Mr.  Root  had  gathered  and 
taught  a  school  of  boys  to  prepare  them  for  college. 
They  partially  supported  themselves  by  work  on  the 
farm,  which  supplied  them  with  provisions.  Mr.  Root 
was  the  son  of  a  Baptist  minister,  and  knew  nothing 
of  the  Episcopal  Church ;  but  seeing  a  copy  of  the 
Book  of  Common  Prayer,  the  title  struck  him  as  being 
an  appropriate  aid  in  conducting  the  devotions  of  his 
charge.  It  may  well  be  supposed  that  here  was  a 
field  white  already  for  the  harvest.  Some  were  bap- 
tized and  several  confirmed." 

Another  incident  of  missionary  life  related  by  the 
Rev.  Dudley  Chase  is  worthy  of  a  place  among  the 
ready  replies  characteristic  of  the  Bishop. 

Mr.  Chase,  with  his  father,  was  on  a  missionary  tour 
in  a  distant  part  of  the  diocese.  At  a  town  where  rival 
denominations  emulated  each  other  in  getting  up  re- 
vival meetings,  crowding  the  meeting-houses  day  and 
night,  they  were  to  hold  service. 

But  it  was  a  well-known  fact  that  the  lumber  of 
which  some  of  these  meeting-houses  were  built  was  cut 
from  the  lands  of  non-resident  owners,  which  they 
could  not  protect.  A  committee  of  the  rival  denomi- 
nations came  to  visit  the  missionaries'  little  charge,  and 
interviewed  the  Bishop  at  his  lodging-house.  After 
customary  introductions,  one  of  the  committee,  speak- 
ing for  all,  wishing  no  doubt  to  do  the  polite  thing, 
addressed  the  Bishop  in  this  manner,  "  Well,  Bishop, 
how  does  spiritual  religion  prosper  at  your  college?  " 
To  this  the  Bishop  gravely  replied,  "Gentlemen,  we 


328  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

are  getting  on  very  quietly,  and  do  not  claim  to  have 
made  great  advancement  in  sanctification.  Just  now 
we  are  learning  and  teaching  the  Ten  Commandments, 
and  have  gotten  as  far  as  the  Eighth  Commandment, 
'Thou  shalt  not  steal.'  " 

Upon  which  there  was  an  expressive  silence,  and  the 
committee  soon  left. 

The  Bishop  himself  is  authority  for  the  following 
story : 

Arriving  late  in  the  afternoon  at  a  tavern  in  a  small 
settlement  in  Illinois,  he  requested  the  tavern  keeper 
to  find  some  one  who  could  give  notice  to  the  neigh- 
bors that  Divine  Service  would  be  held  in  the  school- 
house  at  "early  candle-lighting."  Calling  to  his  boy, 
the  tavern  keeper  told  his  son  to  give  the  notice  in  due 
form  to  the  neighbors.  "What  denomination  shall  I 
tell  the  people  you  belong  to?"  "Tell  them,"  said 
the  Bishop,  "that  I  belong  to  the  Church  which  trans- 
lated the  Bible."  So  the  lad  rode  away  with  a  bell  in 
his  hand,  ringing  it  and  shouting  at  every  door:  "The 
man  who  translated  the  Bible  will  preach  at  the  school- 
house  to-night,  at  'early-candle-light  ' !  " 

This  brought  a  good  congregation  at  short  notice. 

The  following  is  related  by  the  Rt.  Rev.  William  F. 
Nichols,  Bishop  of  California:  "Among  stories  I  have 
heard  of  Bishop  Chase,  which  I  have  never  seen  in 
print,  is  this:  He  once  spent  a  Sunday  with  the  Rev. 
H.  W.  Lee  in  the  Rectory  of  Christ  Church,  Spring- 
field, Mass.  The  Bishop  reached  the  rectory  Saturday 
evening  with  an  appetite  for  supper  which  made  it 
necessary  for  Mrs.  Lee  to  considerably  revise  her  vtenii 
for  the  Sunday  dinner,  she  having  at  supper  placed 
before  him  the  cold  roast  primarily  intended  for  the 


Mission  Work  and  Journeyings         329 

said  dinner.  Then  when  he  retired,  his  giant  stature 
proved  too  much  for  the  cording  of  the  bedstead,  and 
he  broke  it  down,  only  to  be  extricated  by  a  rally  of 
strong  arms  to  lift  up  the  bed-frame  and  let  him  down 
through  it.  It  is  said  that  just  as  the  Bishop  was 
leaving  by  the  Monday  morning  stage,  he  bade  the 
driver  wait  a  moment,  and  then  said  to  Mr.  Lee,  who 
was  standing  by,  "I  have  observed,  Mr.  Lee,  that 
during  my  brief  stay  with  you,  my  size  of  body  has  led 
me  into  situations  that  could  not  but  cause  merriment 
to  your  household.  But  mark  my  words,  Mr.  Lee, 
before  you  die,  you  will  be  a  larger  man  than  I  am." 
Whether  the  prophecy  is  authentic  or  not,  it  is  a  fact 
that  the  Rev.  Mr.  Lee,  then  a  tall,  thin  man,  did  be- 
come the  very  portly  Bishop  of  Iowa,  with  a  whole 
chapter  of  mishaps  from  size — all  his  own.  And  it  is 
said  that  the  witty  Bishop  Clark  once  made  impossible 
the  taking  of  a  photograph  of  the  then  House  of 
Bishops  (always  a  formidable  task  to  any  photographer) 
by  saying  in  a  stage  whisper  just  as  the  cap  was  to  be 
removed,  *Lee,  this  is  a  mistake;  they  can't  take  you 
all  at  once  in  this  picture,  they  will  have  to  take  you  in 
sections.'  " 

Another  characteristic  story  of  Bishop  Chase  is  this : 
A  group  of  rough  men  was  leaving  the  church  before 
service  was  over.  The  Bishop  said  to  them  in  com- 
manding tones,  "Stop!  if  you  leave  now,  you  will  miss 
the  benefits  of  the  Greater  Benediction."  The  men 
were  much  impressed  and  meekly  returned  to  their 
places. 

Two  other  incidents  in  the  Bishop's  life,  narrated 
by  a  well-known  clergyman  in  Connecticut,  bring  out 
the  salient  points  of  his  character.      The  clergyman 


330  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

says:  "I  was  a  delegate  to  the  General  Convention  at 
Cincinnati,  in  1850,  from  the  diocese  of  Missouri.  On 
our  return  to  St.  Louis,  I  took  passage  in  a  steamboat, 
and  on  getting  on  board  found  Bishop  Chase  and  his 
wife  returning  to  Illinois  by  the  same  route.  We  had 
expected  to  reach  home  for  Sunday,  but  the  water  in 
the  Ohio  was  low,  and  we  were  frequently  stuck  on 
sand-bars,  so  that  we  were  ten  days  in  making  the  trip. 
We  had  on  board  about  three  hundred  passengers. 
The  Mississippi  was  then  much  nearer  the  far  West 
than  now,  and  the  passengers  were  of  much  rougher 
material  than  would  be  found  within  five  hundred 
miles  of  the  same  point  at  the  present  date.  Few  of 
them  had  ever  been  present  at  a  liturgical  service, 
much  less  seen  a  live  Bishop.  After  the  dinner  tables 
had  been  cleared  on  Sunday,  all  were  summoned  by 
the  bell  'to  hear  the  Bishop  preach.'  The  long  saloon 
was  crowded  on  both  sides  of  the  row  of  tables,  and  at 
the  head  sat  the  old  Bishop  in  an  arm-chair,  as  he  was 
at  that  time  accustomed  to  sit  in  addressing  a  congre- 
gation. Opening  his  prayer-book,  he  read  and  remarked 
upon  the  fitness  of  two  or  three  of  the  preliminary 
sentences,  preparing  the  heart  for  worship.  He  then 
read  and  commented  in  like  manner  on  the  exhortation. 
That  done,  he  said,  'Now,  dear  friends,  let  us  kneel 
down  and  confess  our  sins  to  Almighty  God.'  This 
was  a  usage  rather  strange  to  most  of  the  crowd,  so 
but  two  or  three  churchmen  present  and  a  few  women 
knelt.  With  a  little  deeper  bass  the  Bishop's  voice 
rolled  through  the  saloon,  'My  friends,  kneeling  is 
the  fit  position  in  which  to  confess  our  sins  to  God !  ' 
A  few  more  went  down.  But  no  half-way  doings 
would    answer.     The    old   man   roared  in  a   voice  of 


Mission  Work  and  Journeyings         331 

thunder,  and  bringing  his  fist  upon  the  table  with  a 
force  which  made  everything  shake,  'Kneel  down,  I 
say,  every  one  of  you !  '  And  down  they  all  went,  as 
if  they  had  been  shot. 

"In  one  parish  of  his  diocese  was  a  clergyman  of 
considerable  ability,  but  whose  liberality  outwent  his 
regard  for  sound  discipline.  In  the  same  vicinity  were 
some  people  who  were  'in  good  standing  in  other  re- 
spectable denominations,'  whose  character  the  Bishop 
did  not  respect.  Their  special  offence  was  stealing 
timber  from  public  lands,  which  was  not  regarded  as  a 
sin,  unless  one  was  prosecuted  for  it.  These  people 
were  in  the  habit  of  coming  to  the  Communion  in  this 
clergyman's  parish,  on  the  invitation  which  he  was  in 
the  habit  of  giving  to  'members  of  sister  churches  to 
stay  and  partake  with  us.'  The  Bishop,  intending 
to  be  present  on  a  certain  Sunday,  desired  the  rector 
to  abstain  from  giving  his  broadcast  invitation,  and  gave 
as  a  reason  the  unfit  character  of  some  of  the  people 
who  would  accept  it.  The  rector  refused  to  comply 
with  the  Bishop's  request.  'Then,'  said  the  Bishop, 
'I  will  read  the  rubric  in  your  face.'  The  rector  gave 
his  customary  invitation,  and,  as  good  as  his  word,  the 
Bishop  read  in  emphatic  tones,  'There  shall  none  be 
admitted  to  the  Holy  Communion,  until  such  time  as 
he  be  confirmed,  or  be  ready  and  desirous  to  be  con- 
firmed.' The  people  of  doubtful  character  did  not 
commune  that  day.  Bishop  Chase  was  a  giant  in  his 
way,  not  merely  in  body,  but  in  mind  and  soul;  he 
was  the  kind  of  stuff  out  of  which  heroes  are  made." 

And  this  impression  of  a  commanding  and  indomita- 
ble personality  is  the  one  that  he  made  upon  all  who 
came  into  contact  with  him.     It  is  well  expressed  by 


332  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

the  Rev.  Dr.  Roberts  in  his  sketch  of  the  Bishop's 
life,  read  before  the  New  Hampshire  Historical 
Society. 

"Philander  Chase  was  a  man  to  be  counted  among 
the  'makers  of  the  United  States.'  It  is  true  that  his 
work  was  done  along  special  lines,  and  in  the  develop- 
ment of  one  idea.  But  it  was  done  at  a  formative 
period  in  the  history  of  what  is  now  called  the  'Middle 
West,'  and  it  was  done  at  a  time  when  every  vigorous 
man's  work  told  greatly  in  the  general  result  and 
counted  for  much  in  effecting  the  result,  as  does  the 
corresponding  work  of  a  great  corporation  in  these 
days  of  syndicates  and  corporate  action. 

"It  was  in  a  certain  very  true  sense  the  'day  of  small 
things,'  but  it  was  more  truly  the  day  of  the  develop- 
ment of  great  things  out  of  small.  It  was  the  heroic 
age  of  our  history.  The  heroic  age  is  the  time  when 
the  character  and  genius  of  the  leaders  among  men 
give  frame  and  form  to  a  future  of  larger  things.  I  do 
not  say  greater  things,  for  it  seems  to  me  that  the 
quality  rather  than  the  quantity  is  the  test  of  greatness. 

"The  great  Bishop  was,  first  of  all  things,  a  pioneer, 
and  he  came  of  a  race  of  pioneers.  These  were  the 
men,  these  energetic  and  resourceful  pioneers,  to  whom 
New  Hampshire,  in  common  with  the  other  States  of 
the  Union,  and  the  country  at  large,  is  most  profoundly 
indebted. 

"The  history  of  Bishop  Chase  is  so  full  of  romance, 
of  fiery  energy,  of  diflficulties  which  seem  insuperable, 
overcome  by  industry,  patience,  self-sacrifice,  and  faith, 
that  there  is  a  fascination  about  it  all.  There  is  in  this 
heroic  and  saintly  pioneer  Bishop  a  certain  intense 
human  quality  of  a  very  masterful  sort.     In  the  midst 


Mission  Work  and  Journeyings         333 

of  his  abounding  self-sacrifice,  his  unfaltering  faith  in 
God,  and  devotion  to  His  service,  in  which  he  dared 
great  things,  there  is  a  human  pride  of  opinion  and  an 
unmistakably  bellicose  spirit.  These  were,  so  to  say, 
what  have  been  called  in  other  great  men,  'the  vices 
of  his  virtues,'  'What  a  wonderful  man,'  says  an  ad- 
miring writer,  'was  that  same  Bishop  Chase,  embracing 
in  that  immense  corporosity  two  separate  and  distinct 
individualities, — that  of  the  full  grown  man,  stern,  im- 
perious, invincible;  and  that  of  a  child,  mild,  amiable 
condescending,  and  tractable.  And  you  never  could 
tell  at  any  particular  time,  which  character  was  about 
to  appear.' 

Another  writes  of  him  in  these  words : 

"Whether  he  were  in  the  log  cabin  of  Ohio,  where 
the  whole  family  slept,  ate,  cooked,  received  guests 
and  lodged  them  in  the  same  apartment,  or  in  the 
magnificent  halls  of  Lord  Kenyon,  surrounded  with 
the  refinements  of  the  Old  World,  Bishop  Chase  was 
equally  at  home,  and  capable  of  winning  golden  opin- 
ions. Add  to  this  an  energy  that  never  flagged,  a  will 
that  never  succumbed,  and  a  physical  system  that  never 
tired,  and  we  have  such  a  character  as  is  seldom  pro- 
duced, but  which  was  precisely  adapted  to  the  great 
work  which  he  accomplished.  Bishop  Chase  was 
equally  remarkable  for  industry  and  endurance.  Day- 
light seldom  found  him  in  bed,  and  he  seemed  as  fond 
of  working  or  travelling  in  the  rain  as  though  water 
were  his  native  element.  He  would  preach  at  Perry 
(fifteen  miles  from  Gambler)  and  as  soon  as  daylight 
peeped  in  the  east  on  Monday  morning,  take  his  bridle, 
go  to  the  field,  catch  Cincinnatus,  and  be  off  to  set  his 
men  at  work  in  Gambier.     Bishop  Chase  began  a  work 


334  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

for  the  Church  in  Ohio,  and  in  truth  for  the  whole 
West,  such  as  no  other  man  then  living  would  have 
attempted,  or  probably  could  have  accomplished. 

"That  which  Philander  Chase  achieved  against  seem- 
ingly overwhelming  odds,  would  probably  not  have 
been  imagined,  undertaken,  or  persevered  in,  but  for 
just  that  robust  quality,  that  virile  intensity  which 
made  him  a  leader,  when  there  were  men  to  be  led, 
and  an  Athanasiiis  contra  Miindiim,  when  that  was 
what  his  occasions  required. 

"As  is  the  case  with  Mr.  Gladstone,  one  might  differ 
toto  ccelo  with  this  strenuous  pioneer,  the  indefatigable 
Bishop,  the  man  both  of  ideas  and  action,  and  yet 
credit  him  with  purity  of  purpose,  personal  integrity, 
and  a  certain  ascertainable  element  of  genuine  humility 
shining  through  even  his  belligerency.  He  was  going 
to  found  a  diocese  and  he  did  it ;  to-day  it  is  two.  He 
was  going  to  found  a  college  and  he  did  it,  a  college 
which  graduated  Edwin  M.  Stanton,  Henry  Winter 
Davis,  Judge  David  Davis,  Stanley  Matthews,  Ruther- 
ford B.  Hayes,  General  Le  Due,  the  Bishop  of  Arizona, 
and  the  Bishop  of  Oklahoma,  and  gave  a  large  measure 
of  his  training  to  Salmon  P.  Chase. 

"The  Bishop  had  set  his  heart  on  having  an  institu- 
tion of  learning  in  his  diocese  to  provide  him  with  a 
native  ministry,  'to  the  manner  born,'  'sons  of  the 
soil,'  and  set  about  it.  His  first  difficulty  was  the 
vigorous  opposition  of  the  Bishop  of  New  York,  Dr. 
Hobart,  who  objected  to  a  Western  seminary  on  the 
ground  of  a  possible  division  of  the  Church  in  the 
United  States.  The  'imperial  policy'  had  not  then 
been  imagined,  and  perhaps  there  was  something  of 
odium  theologicum  and  party  feeling  to  the  opposition. 


Mission  Work  and  Journeyings         335 

This  opposition  followed  him  to  the  end  and  many 
trials  came  of  it. 

"His  next  difficulty  was  financial.  He  determined 
to  go  to  England  to  solicit  funds,  and  this  measure  was 
contrary  to  the  wishes  of  Eastern  men,  who  found 
something  particularly  obnoxious  in  the  idea  of  money 
from  England  being  sent  to  the  West.  The  details  of 
this  opposition  and  the  Bishop's  firmness  are  interest- 
ing and  characteristic.  The  Bishop  pledged  all  his 
earthly  belongings  to  raise  the  means  for  going  abroad. 
A  dissertation  of  his,  on  the  subject  of  the  reasonable- 
ness of  England's  giving  such  aid  to  the  Western  na- 
tion, contains  an  article  entitled  'God's  Way  of  Binding 
Nations  and  Continents  Together,  or  America  Neces- 
sary to  England,'  which  might  be  read  to-day  apropos 
of  the  entente  cordialc  developed  between  the  nations 
by  the  conditions  of  the  Spanish  War. 

"In  this  visit  to  England,  'the  great  Apostle  of  the 
Wilderness,'  who  coped  successfully  with  the  rough 
and  stern  conditions  of  the  border,  displayed  to  singu- 
lar advantage  his  marvellous  versatility.  He  was  im- 
mediately a  social  success,  and  was  a  welcome  guest 
among  the  most  exclusive  aristocracy. 

"In  spite  of  curious  and  what  seems,  in  some  phases 
of  it,  vindictive  opposition  and  abuse,  as  unmeasured 
as  unmerited,  he  succeeded  in  gathering  thirty  thou- 
sand dollars  in  England,  and  he  secured  the  patronage 
and  friendship  of  Lord  Kenyon,  Admiral  Lord  Gam- 
bier,  Lady  Harcourt,  Lord  Bexley,  and  Lady  Rosse, 
all  of  whose  names  appear  in  the  names  of  the  place, 
its  college,  its  halls,  and  parks. 

"The  Bishop's  idea  was  a  location  in  the  country, 
positively  in  the   wilderness,   and   this  with  a  double 


;^26  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

motive.  .  .  .  As  he  put  it  in  the  quaint  diction 
of  his  time,  'Should  the  seminary,  by  gift  or  otherwise, 
be  certain  of  being  the  possessor  of  some  thousands  of 
acres  in  the  surrounding  country,  how  surely  and  how 
innocently,  yea,  how  justly,  might  it  share  in  the  gains 
of  which  it  would  thus  be  the  parent.' 

"The  other  purpose  is  expressed  thus,  'Put  your 
seminary  on  your  domain ;  be  owners  of  the  soil  on 
which  you  dwell,  and  let  the  tenure  of  every  lease  and 
deed  depend  on  the  expressed  condition  that  nothing 
detrimental  to  the  morals  and  studies  of  youth  be 
allowed  on  the  premises.'  " 


i 


CHAPTER   XLI 

THE    LAST   DAYS 

THE  completion  of  the  chapel  at  Jubilee,  in  the 
years  1840-41,  the  gift  of  an  organ  and  a  bell, 
and  the  establishment  of  a  school  for  boys  under  the 
care  of  the  Rev.  Samuel  Chase  marked  an  era  in  the 
history  of  the  incipient  theological  seminary. 

In  1843,  the  building  called  the  Cottage  was  erected, 
where  for  several  years  a  school  for  girls  was  success- 
fully carried  on.  As  the  stories  most  frequently  told 
of  the  Bishop  are  illustrative  of  the  stern  and  some- 
times imperious  side  of  his  character,  it  may  be  well  to 
mention  two  incidents,  derived  from  a  former  pupil  of 
the  school,  which  suggest  a  gentler  strain.  The  pupils 
were  part  of  the  family,  and  were  always  present  at  the 
table.  There  were  frequent  guests,  and  the  conversa- 
tion between  them  and  the  Bishop  was  often  very  witty 
and  amusing.  Should  the  youthful  spirits  of  the  girls 
become  too  demonstrative,  the  Bishop  would  skilfully 
introduce  a  certain  watchword  into  one  of  his  remarks, 
which  silenced  them  at  once,  and  the  guests  were  none 
the  wiser. 

The  second  incident  is  that  one  of  the  older  girls 
once  asked  the  Bishop  where  she  could  find  a  code  of 
etiquette  which  she  might  safely  follow.  His  reply 
was:  "In  the  New  Testament,  my  dear." 

337 


338  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

To  return  to  the  college:  The  number  of  students 
increased,  but,  as  ever,  the  well-educated  clergy  who 
were  willing  to  share  with  the  Bishop  in  the  hardships 
of  the  Church  in  the  West  were  very  few.  The  old 
story  over  again ! 

The  Bishop's  hard  work,  in  fact,  was  not  over.  He 
was  yet  to  suffer  from  the  rigor  of  winter  and  the  de- 
pressing heat  in  summer;  and  the  fatal  "habit  of  acci- 
dent "  yet  prevailed. 

During  the  summer  and  fall  of  1844,  he  made  a  great 
effort  to  procure  scholarships  for  students  at  Jubilee, 
which  was  crowned  with  considerable  success,  and  at 
the  close  of  this  year  these  scholarships  were  filled  with 
worthy  young  men.  This  circumstance  was  most 
cheering  to  the  friends  of  Jubilee. 

In  a  letter  to  Lord  Bexley,  dated  July,  1845,  the 
Bishop  alludes  to  the  prophecy  of  the  former,  who  ten 
years  before,  while  bestowing  a  valuable  gift,  remarked 
that  he  could  not  believe  the  Bishop  would  ever  be 
able  to  found  another  college,  so  far  toward  the  setting 
sun.  In  this  letter  Bishop  Chase  says:  "Another  col- 
lege is  founded,  and  is  now  rearing  its  head  on  the 
prairies ;  we  have  nearly  fifty  students,  most  of  whom 
are  studying  for  the  ministry;  we  have  twenty  clergy- 
men in  the  diocese ;  in  the  course  of  the  summer  and 
fall  I  hope  to  consecrate  seven  more  churches.  I  am 
now  returning  East  to  help  consecrate  Dr.  Alonzo 
Potter  to  the  bishopric  of  Pennsylvania." 

In  another  letter  to  a  friend  the  Bishop  says :  ' '  Money 
from  the  Roman  Communion  in  Europe  is  flowing 
into  the  Mississippi  valley  to  build  schools,  convents, 
and  colleges,  while  the  Church  has  none  but  Kenyon 
and  Jubilee  to  prepare  ministers  for  the  whole  valley. 


The  Last  Days  339 

and  even  these  are  permitted  to  languish  and  die.  I 
blot  out  the  word  'die,'  because  I  am  not  yet  quite 
dead.  Had  I  not  the  promise,  Jehovah-Jireh,  I  should 
have  sunk  long  ago." 

In  the  fall  of  1844  on  the  second  day  of  the  journey 
west  over  the  Alleghanies,  the  stage  upset  in  the  night 
(a  repetition  of  the  accident  which  occurred  many  years 
before) ;  and  the  Bishop  was  crushed  and  trampled  upon 
by  the  passengers  in  their  endeavors  to  escape.  He  lay 
helpless  until  his  son,  by  almost  superhuman  strength, 
raised  his  father  through  the  upturned  door  of  the 
coach.  Two  ribs  were  broken,  and  there  were  also 
very  serious  bruises.  It  was  many  weeks  before  he 
could  be  removed. 

On  the  7th  of  July,  1847,  ^^e  students  of  Jubilee, 
after  a  due  course  of  study,  were  given  the  bachelor's 
degree  in  the  arts  and  sciences.  This  was  conferred 
in  due  form ;  and  another  student  who  was  educated 
elsewhere  and  had  come  hither  to  study  theology  was 
given  the  degree  of  A.M.  This  was  a  great  and  joyful 
day,  the  beginning  of  better  things,  as  then  was  fondly 
hoped. 

At  the  General  Convention  held  in  1844,  at  Phila- 
delphia, Bishop  Chase  had  become  the  senior  Bishop 
by  the  death  of  Bishop  Griswold.  For  the  two  follow- 
ing Conventions,  therefore,  he  took  his  place  as  Pre- 
siding Bishop.  In  1850,  the  Convention  was  held  in 
Cincinnati.  The  Bishop  was  then  in  his  seventy-fifth 
year,  but  his  address  exhibited  much  vigor  of  mind. 

The  closing  years  of  Bishop  Chase's  life  were  marked 
with  peaceful  hopes  of  the  ultimate  usefulness  of  Jubilee 
College  in  the  education  of  young  men  for  the  ministry. 
The  land  for  the  support  of  the  school  was  cultivated 


340  The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

more  and  more  each  year;  the  flocks  of  sheep  had  be- 
come profitable ;  and  although  misfortune  in  the  shape 
of  a  claimant  for  a  part  of  the  land,  and  the  loss  of  the 
mill  by  a  fire  had  occurred,  still  at  his  death  the  prop- 
erty was  left  free  from  all  embarrassment  and  in 
flourishing  condition,  a  precious  legacy  to  the  Church, 
purchased  by  how  great  labor,  suffering,  and  self-sacri- 
fice none  now  living  can  know.  At  the  time  when  the 
messenger  of  death  stood  at  his  door,  how  little  he 
dreamed  that  the  great  gift  to  his  diocese  and  to  the 
Church  at  large  would  be  esteemed  so  lightly  by  his 
successors  as  to  become  practically  useless  to  the 
present  generation ! 

From  the  year  1847,  the  Bishop's  health  gradually 
failed,  and  as  he  neared  his  seventy-seventh  year,  he 
became  unable  to  perform  his  usual  duties,  both  in 
temporal  and  spiritual  affairs,  although  he  continued 
to  preach  long  after  he  was  obliged  to  sit  during  both 
service  and  sermon.  He  needed  not  to  read  the 
prayers,  for  he  could  repeat  the  entire  service  from 
memory;  and  when  he  officiated  at  a  funeral,  "that 
cradle-song  of  immortality,"  the  burial  service,  lost 
none  of  its  impressiveness  from  being  said  without  a 
book,  in  the  tender,  loving,  trembling  voice  of  the  old 
Bishop. 

On  Monday,  September  20,  1852,  Bishop  Chase 
entered  into  rest.  During  the  preceding  summer  he 
had  been  able  to  preach  on  Sundays,  and  in  the  after- 
noons took  great  pleasure  in  teaching  a  Sunday-school 
near  his  home. 

The  immediate  occasion  of  his  death  was  an  accident. 
While  driving  with  Mrs.  Chase,  a  part  of  the  harness 


BISHOP  CHASE'S  GRAVE  AND   MONUMENT,  JUBILEE,   ILL.       Page  340. 


The  Last  Days  341 

gave  way ;  the  shafts  fell ;  the  horse,  starting  while  the 
Bishop  still  held  the  reins,  pulled  him  forward  and  the 
seat  upset,  throwing  him  to  the  ground.  When  lifted 
his  first  words  were:  "You  may  order  my  coffin." 
Several  of  the  students  carried  him  to  his  bed,  and  as 
they  laid  him  down  he  said,  "Thank  you !  thank  you ! 
You  will  have  to  carry  me  once  more  only." 

He  suffered  much  for  some  days,  strengthened  and 
upheld  by  his  own  murmured  repetition  of  prayers 
and  psalms,  or  by  having  them  read  to  him.  On  Sun- 
day he  remarked  that  it  was  "the  Day  of  Prayer"  and 
desired  the  family  to  go  to  church.  In  the  afternoon 
he  said,  "I  shall  die  to-morrow."  Soon  after  he 
passed  into  a  semi-conscious  state,  and  so  remained  to 
the  end. 

The  funeral  brought  together  all  the  clergy  and 
hundreds  of  the  people  of  the  vicinity.  The  Rev.  E. 
B.  Kellogg  officiated  and  preached  the  sermon,  after- 
ward published  in  the  Motto. 

The  Bishop's  mortal  part  rests  in  the  God's  Acre  at 
Jubilee,  in  a  shady  spot  selected  by  himself. 

It  may  be  said  of  him,  mentally  and  spiritually  if  not 
physically,  as  of  the  great  leader  of  the  Israelites,  "His 
eye  was  not  dim,  nor  his  natural  force  abated."  His 
energy  of  spirit  and  vigor  of  mind  continued  to  the 
last.  He  had  always  wished  for  a  short  summons. 
"Memento  mori  "  was  a  favorite  motto.  The  joyful 
resurrection  was  a  frequent  theme. 

He  was  ready  to  be  offered:  he  had  finished  his 
course :  he  had  kept  the  faith. 

THE   END 


The  Life  of  Philander  Chase 

First  Bishop  of  Ohio  and  Illinois,  Founder  of  Kenyon  and 
Jubilee  Colleges.  By  his  granddaughter,  Laura  ChaSE 
Smith.  8vo,  364  pages,  25  illustrations,  cloth,  gilt  top, 
^3.00  net. 

One  of  the  greatest  builders  of  the  Middle  West,  Philander 
Chase,  has  hitherto  lived  in  the  monuments  of  his  great  career, 
but  has  had  no  biographer  to  tell  the  present  generation  of  his 
great  contribution  to  American  civilization.  His  own  Remin- 
iscences in  two  volumes  are  out  of  print,  and  the  very  great- 
ness of  the  Bishop  prevented  his  being  a  good  biographer  of 
himself. 

A  life  of  this  great  man  has  just  been  written  by  his  grand- 
daughter, who  has  spent  years  in  gathering  material  for  the 
work.  It  is  a  portrait  of  the  Bishop  worthy  of  a  permanent 
place  in  American  literature  and  will  be  a  rich  addition  to 
American  history. 

The  Rev.  Arthur  Lowndes,  D.D.,  editor  of  The  Church  Eclectic^  New 
York,  says  of  this  work: 

"  My  conviction  is  that  the  Church  will  be  a  loser  if  this 
'Life'  is  not  published.  One  of  its  great  merits,  and  it  has 
many,  is  its  happy  style — I  have  rarely  read  more  charming 
chapters  than  the  opening  ones  in  any  biographical  work.  A 
masterly  grouping  of  facts,  so  that  the  narrative  runs  smoothly 
from  beginning  to  end.  Many  interesting  details  are  here 
gathered  which  are  new  to  me,  and  I  believe  to  most  students 
of  American  history.  A  Life  of  this  Apostolic  Bishop,  written 
in  this  manner,  is  a  distinct  contribution  to  our  American 
Church  History,  and  I  am  confident  will  be  acknowledged  as 
such  by  all  who  read  it." 

The  Right  Reverend  Thomas  F.  Davies,  D.D.,  LL.D. ,  Bishop  of  Mich- 
igan, says  of  it : 

"The  memoir  of  Bishop  Philander  Chase  by  his  gifted  and 
accomplished  granddaughter  is  most  fascinating  in  its  interest, 
and  gives  a  life-like  portraiture  to  one  of  our  most  remarkable 
and  heroic  Bishops.  The  Bishop's  Reminiscences  published  by 
himself  are  long  since  out  of  print,  and  hence  this  memoir  sup- 
plies a  great  desideratum.  His  memory  and  almost  unparalled 
labors  should  never  be  forgotten  by  American  Churchmen." 

E.  P.  DUTTON  &t  CO.,    PxiblisKers 

31  West  23d  Street,  New  York 


Life  and  Letters  of  Phillips  Brooks 

By  Alexander   V.   G.   Ai^len.      Fully  illustrated,  3  vols., 
8vo,  |8.oo,  net. 

A  Large-paper  Edition,  limited  to  250  copies,  numbered. 
In  five  octavo  volumes,  printed  on  high-grade  paper,  in  the 
best  manner,  at  the  Riverside  Press,  Cambridge,  Mass. 
Price  per  set,  in  box,  $25.00  net. 

"We  welcome  this  'Life'  as  not  only  a  very  notable  contribution  to 
the  small  class  of  really  worthy  American  biographies,  but  as  the  prolon- 
gation of  one  of  the  finest  influences  that  have  been  moulding  American 
character."— 7"^^  Atla7itic  Monthly. 

"It  is  the  story,  nobly  told,  of  one  of  the  noblest  men  of  the  past  cen- 
tury."—  The  Literary  World. 


The  Wortcs  of  Phillips  Brooks 

In  a  uniform  edition.      13  vols.,  each  at  $1.20  net. 

Essays  and  Addresses  The  Influence  of  Jesus 

Letters  of  Travel  Lectures  on  Preaching 

Nine  Volumes  of  Sermons 

George  H.  Hepworth 

Preacher,  Journalist,  Friend  of  the  People.  The  Story  of  his 
Life.  By  Susan  Hayes  Ward.  Large  i2mo,  302  pages, 
12  illustrations,  gilt  top,  f  2.00  net. 

This  story  of  an  active  life  that  exerted  a  very  wide  influ- 
ence will  be  of  interest  to  all  who  have  read  Dr.  Hepworth's 
writings. 

E.  P.  BUTTON  &L  CO.,  Publishers 
31  West  23d  Street,  New  York 


The  Bampton  Lectures  for  1903 

The  English  Saints 

By  William  HoldEn  HuTTon,  B.D.,  Fellow  of  St.  John's  Col- 
lege, Oxford,  Examining  Chaplain  to  the  Bishop  of  Ely. 
8vo,  cloth,  $4.00  net. 

The  full  title  of  the  Lectures  is  "  The  Influence  of  Christi- 
anity upon  National  Character,  as  Illustrated  by  the  Lives  and 
Legends  of  the  English  Saints."  The  author,  after  empha- 
sizing the  firm  witness  to  Christianity  borne  by  its  foremost 
protagonists,  treats  of  the  national  Saints  of  the  Continent — 
S.  Teresa,  S.  Francis,  S.  Elizabeth,  for  example.  He  then 
passes  to  England,  and  deals  with  Royal  Saints,  Women  and 
Children  among  the  Saints,  the  Ideal  of  Monk  and  Hermit, 
Statesmen  Saints,  and  the  Saints  of  the  English  Conversion,  and 
ends  with  a  chapter  on  "  The  Completion  of  Faith,"  summar- 
izing the  results  of  the  previous  lectures. 

The  Pathway  to  Reality 

Being  the  Gifford  Lectures,  Delivered  in  the  University  of  St. 
Andrews  in  the  Session  1902-1903.  By  the  Right  Hon. 
Richard  B.  Haldane,  LL.D.  8vo,  336  pages,  cloth, 
I3.00  net. 

"  It  is  interesting'  to  recall  that  the  Gifford  Lectures,  since  the  incep- 
tion of  the  course,  have  been  recognized  as  among  the  most  important 
contributions  to  modern  philosophy.  Prof.  William  James's  last  book, 
'The  Varieties  of  Religious  Experience^'  was  the  previous  course,  and 
Josiah  Royce's  'The  World  and  the  Individual'  was  the  one  before  that." 

— N.  y.  limes  Sat.  Review. 

"It  is  written  throughout  with  conscious  care  and  mastery,  and  a 
happy  use  of  concrete  illustrations." — London  Times. 

Archdeacon  Denison 

Fifty  Years  at  East  Brent,  1845-1896.  Based  on  his  Diaries  and 
Correspondence.  Edited  by  his  niece,  Miss  Louisa  Deni- 
son.    Illustrated,  8vo,  I3.50  net. 

"A  delightful  companion,  an  excellent  'raconteur,'  an  honest  and 
skilful  controversialist,  the  man  comes  back  to  us  in  these  letters,  and  re- 
calls to  his  friends  a  personality  that  they  sincerely  loved,  and  a  character 
in  which  they  found  much  to  admire." — Guardian. 

"Hardly  could  there  be  a  more  representative  biography  contributory 
to  the  ecclesiastical  history  of  England  during  the  last  half  of  the  nine- 
teenth century."— A'a/zon. 

E.  P.  DUTTON  &i  CO..  PviblisKers 
31  West  23d  Street,  New  York 


spiritual  Power  at  Work 

A  Study  of  Spiritual  Forces  and  Their  Application.  By  GEORGE 

H.  Hubbard.     lamo,  I1.25  net. 

"I  believe  that  if  we  can  induce  Christian  people  to  apply  to  their 
spiritual  life  and  work  the  same  intelligence  and  manly  wisdom  that  they 
display  in  other  departments  of  activity  the  kingdom  of  heaven  would  be 
established  much  more  quickly  than  by  present  methods  and  ideals." 

—A  uthor's  Preface. 

The  Truth  and  Error  of  Christian 
Science 

By  Miss  M.  Carta  Sturge,  with  a  Preface  by  the  Rev. 
Henry  Scott  Hoi,i,and.  i2mo,  160  pages,  cloth,  %\.^o 
net. 

".  .  .  The  book  is  valuable  as  a  genuine  effort  to  understand  the 
movement  by  a  thoughtful,  independent  student."- — The  Times. 

"Such  a  book  as  this,  written  in  the  calm  spirit  of  a  tranquil  and  well 
informed  inquirer,  is  of  greater  value  by  far  than  any  mere  polemic  con- 
troverting the  pretensions  of  Eddyism." — Phila.  Press. 

The  King's  Garden  ; 

Or,  The  Life  of  the  World  to  Come.  Compiled  by  W.  M.  L. 
Jay.     i2mo,  386  pages,  I1.25  net. 

"  Cannot  but  strengthen  the  heart's  courage,  and  cause  that  garden  of 
the  King  of  Kings  to  become  nearer,  dearer,  and  more  real." 

"It  is  helpful  to  have  so  much  of  the  noblest  and  best  thought  con- 
densed into  one  volume  .  .  .  will  be  very  valuable  for  suggestions  and 
support  in  many  of  the  trying  and  depressing  emergencies  of  life." — 
Philadelphia  Evening  Telegraph. 

"  The  arrangement  is  unique,  and  the  volume  meets  a  need." 

Jewish  Forerunners  of  Christianity 

By  Adoi,phE  Danziger.     i2mo,  341  pages,  $1.50  net. 

The  author,  a  well-known  Jewish  scholar,  says:     "I  have 

tried  to  show  the  modern  reader  what  manner  of  men  these 

Masters  in  Israel  and  their  fellows  were     ...     to  illustrate 

the  course  of  events  in  the  Jewish  nation  during  the  last  two 

centuries  of  its  separate  existence." 

"  I  greatly  approve  of  your  general  purpose  and  plan  ;  it  is  very  desira- 
ble to  point  out  the  religious  and  ethical  agfreement  between  Jesus  and  the 
Jewish  thinkers  before  and  after  Him."— Prof  C.  H.  Toy,  of  Cambridge. 

E.  P.  DUTTON  &i  CO.,  Publishers 
31  West  23d  Street,  New  York 


DATE  DUE 

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